Cape & Coast Bank Foundation Awards $18,500 in Q2 Grants to Help Cape Cod Neighbors Access Care, Stability and Opportunity

capeandcoastbk on October 15, 2026

The Cape & Coast Bank Foundation awarded $18,500 in second-quarter fiscal year 2027 (July–September 2026) grants to seven local nonprofit organizations working to address essential needs across Cape Cod.

“Community banking is rooted in the belief that when our neighbors are supported, our entire region is stronger,” said Cape & Coast Bank President and CEO Erik Porter. “These organizations meet people where they are, often during difficult moments, with compassion and practical help. We are honored to support their work and the lasting difference it makes for individuals, families, and communities across Cape Cod.”

Through these grants, the Cape & Coast Bank Foundation continues to partner with organizations helping Cape Cod residents remain healthy, housed, connected and hopeful. The Foundation’s areas of focus include building community; financial and economic vitality; health and wellbeing; housing solutions and initiatives; and support for families.

Grantees for this quarter include:

Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center
A $2,500 grant will support the organization’s Veteran Healthcare Access Transportation Program, providing safe, reliable and no-cost transportation to healthcare appointments in Providence and Boston. Since 2022, the program has transported more than 5,000 veterans, ensuring that distance, mobility challenges, and financial constraints do not prevent local veterans from receiving vital care.

For one 92-year-old veteran, access to transportation became part of a lifesaving chain of care. After attending a dental clinic coordinated through CIVOC, he was urged to seek medical attention for a concerning spot on his scalp. CIVOC arranged transportation to a Boston specialist, where doctors identified stage 4 melanoma and performed urgent surgery.

Cape Cod Brite Lights
Cape Cod Brite Lights received $2,500 to help meet immediate needs in Dennis and Yarmouth, including weekend nutrition for elementary school students, hygiene products, school supplies, and targeted assistance for local families. The funding will also support resources for schools, special-needs groups and community partners.

“Cape & Coast Bank’s support represents an investment in the community,” said a representative of Cape Cod Brite Lights. “With these funds, we can continue helping our neighbors where the need is greatest and provide resources that make a meaningful difference for local children and families.”

Cape Cod Council of Churches
A $2,500 grant will support the Cape Cod Council of Churches’ Faith Family Kitchen program, which provides free, hot and nutritious meals for food-insecure and housing-insecure individuals and families in Hyannis.

Dignity Matters
Dignity Matters received $1,000 to purchase menstrual-care products for women and girls experiencing homelessness or low incomes on Cape Cod. The organization distributes these essential products through local partners including The Family Pantry, Cape Cod Community College and Falmouth Service Center Food Pantry. The grant will provide a year of monthly menstrual-care supplies for 41 women and girls. “Very important, like just as important as toilet paper; a real necessity,” one Falmouth Service Center client shared about access to these products.

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod
A $5,000 grant will support Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s Yarmouth build at 1121 Main Street and Wood Road. The project will create six homes and help provide stable, attainable homeownership opportunities for an anticipated 22 local residents.

Housing Assistance
Cape & Coast Bank Foundation awarded Housing Assistance a $10,000 commitment over four years, including $2,500 this year, to support its Housing Consumer Education Center. The center provides a single point of entry for housing support, offering counseling, financial assistance, budgeting education, credit-improvement strategies, and referrals. In 2025, Housing Assistance served 9,000 households through this vital resource.

For residents like Mary, a part-time healthcare worker and single mother facing a 25 percent rent increase, these services can create a more stable future. With assistance through the organization’s RAFT program, she was able to remain housed while participating in financial-education and first-time homebuyer classes and pursuing affordable rental and homeownership opportunities.

Pause A While
A $2,500 grant will support Pause A While’s Community Recovery Support and Recovery Capital programming. Through peer support, social connection, accountability and accessible 12-step programming, the organization helps people build the resources and relationships needed to begin and sustain long-term recovery.

Cape & Coast Bank Announces Future Leaders Scholarship Winners

capeandcoastbk on July 28, 2026

More than 100 Students Apply in Scholarship’s Inaugural Year

After reviewing more than 100 applications, Cape & Coast Bank announces the inaugural class of the bank’s Future Leaders Scholarship award.

The 2026 Cape & Coast Bank Future Leadership Scholarship winners will receive a one-time $2,500 award and include:

  • Colin Gleason, Barnstable High School and attending Bryant University
  • Isabela Mahoney, Mashpee High School and attending Providence College
  • Bennett McKenna, Nauset High School and attending Dartmouth College
  • Savannah Roy, Sturgis West High School and attending UConn

“Congratulations to these students as their hard work, leadership, and commitment to serving others truly stood out through the review process and strongly reflect our mission to transform lives through the power of community banking,” said Cape & Coast Bank CEO and President Erik Porter. “We are proud to invest in the futures of these students who are making a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.”

The Cape & Coast Bank scholarship program was established to provide financial assistance to students who show leadership acuity through formal roles like athletics or student government, or demonstrate leadership qualities including integrity, collaboration, accountability and a dedication to community service and improvement.

Cape & Coast Bank Foundation Partners with Local Nonprofits to Achieve Lasting Community Impact

capeandcoastbk on July 27, 2026

Q1 2027 Grants Support Foundation Pillars Including Housing, Healthcare and Community Vitality

The Cape & Coast Bank Foundation continues its mission to transform lives through the power of community banking with the awarding of $17,500 in grants to local nonprofit organizations addressing critical needs across Cape Cod.

“Philanthropy, local engagement and relationship building are at the heart of community banking,” said Cape & Coast Bank President and CEO Erik Porter. “Cape & Coast Bank is committed to making our region a better place to live, work and thrive through community involvement and financial support of nonprofit organizations dedicated to bettering the lives of Barnstable County residents. I congratulate Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center, Colorful Kidz, Falmouth Housing Trust, Lower Cape Outreach Council and Provincetown Commons for being named Foundation grant recipients for the first quarter of the bank’s fiscal year 2027.”

Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center

As Cape Cod’s first museum and cultural center dedicated to celebrating Cabo Verde’s rich history, the $2,500 grant will help with preservation efforts, allowing the museum to purchase digitizing equipment to assist in cataloging a recently donated collection.

“We are tasked with not only sharing this history, but preserving and protecting it,” said Cape Cod Cape Verdean Museum and Cultural Center co-founder and curator Barbara Burgo. “We honor those who came before us, and we thank Cape & Coast Bank for helping us ensure that these priceless artifacts will be on display for generations to come.”

Colorful Kidz

This Sandwich-based organization brings joy to children facing difficult life transitions through its personalized room makeovers. The Cape & Coast Foundation’s $2,500 grant gives the organization flexibility to utilize funds for any project in any community on Cape Cod, allowing Colorful Kidz to increase its impact locally.

“Cape & Coast Bank is invested in the Cape, and we’re so appreciative,” said Caren Berry, founder of Colorful Kidz. “Many of our projects are funded through town grants, so they are restricted to that specific town. The Cape & Coast Bank Foundation grant allows us the freedom to work in any community on Cape Cod and purchase paint, flooring and other materials to complete these makeover projects and create lasting impacts for these deserving kids.”

Falmouth Housing Trust

The Falmouth Housing Trust promotes homeownership for low to moderate income residents in Falmouth earning 80-140% AMI (Area Median Income). This $5,000 grant provides support for the organization’s New Projects Fund and Home Buy-Down Program, which provides attainable homeownership opportunities for the area’s year-round workforce.

“The Cape & Coast Bank Foundation is committed to the creation of affordable and attainable housing solutions for local residents and families,” said Kate Ayson, Falmouth Housing Trust Development Officer. “We are grateful for the recent grant award which will assist a new homeowner through our Home Buy Down Program. We look forward to a continued partnership with Cape & Coast Bank Foundation as we continue to provide housing opportunities and innovative homeownership programs in Falmouth.

Lower Cape Outreach Council

A vital resource for Lower and Outer Cape residents in need, a $10,000 commitment over two years will support the organization’s Hunger & Hope Can’t Wait capital campaign, and in particular the relocation and renovation of Katy’s Korner, which provides free clothing and home goods.

“Lower Cape Outreach Council is deeply grateful to the Cape & Coast Bank Foundation for its multi-year commitment to support our first-ever capital campaign, a transformative initiative for our organization and those we serve,” said Gerry Desautels, Lower Cape Outreach Council Director of Development. “Cape & Coast Bank reflects the true heart of community banking, showing genuine care for the people of Cape Cod and a concerted commitment to helping our communities live, work, and thrive.”

Provincetown Commons

Offering year-round studio, exhibition, meeting, and conventional desk spaces, educational workshops and events, Provincetown Commons is a vital driver of the region’s creative economy. The Cape & Coast Bank Foundation’s $2,500 grant provides greater flexibility for the organization to continue its mission to create structure and opportunities for the bustling and oldest continuous art colony in the United States.

“We strive to be mission driven in all areas of our organization,” said Lesley Marchessault, Executive Director of Provincetown Commons. “The services and opportunities Provincetown Commons offers not only sustains, but builds Provincetown’s year-round economy, and support from Cape & Coast Bank is helping tremendously in that regard.”

In true community spirit, the Foundation forges collaborative partnerships with nonprofits on Cape Cod to address issues directly affecting the Cape’s most vulnerable residents, creating lasting change. The Foundation’s current areas of focus include:

  • Building Community: Assisting in the creation of spaces and programs that bring people and communities together
  • Financial & Economic Vitality: Spurring financial literacy and economic development through educational programs
  • Health and Wellbeing: Helping expand equitable access to healthcare and mental health services for those most in need
  • Housing Solutions and Initiatives: Tackling housing insecurity and affordable housing challenges through strategic community partnerships
  • Supporting Families: Reinforcing resources that help children and parents collectively thrive

Cape & Coast Bank Hosts Fraud Seminars

capeandcoastbk on March 19, 2026

Join us for a security seminar designed to help you stay safe and confident. We’ll talk through the top scams targeting older adults, how to spot them, and how to avoid becoming a victim. You’ll also learn what to do if you or someone you know is scammed. Plus, our experts will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

  • 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, at Harwich Community Center: Paul will be joined by Chris Cataldo, East Harwich Branch Manager-Small Business Specialist. Click here to register.
  • 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at Eastham Public Library: Paul will be joined by Chris Cataldo, East Harwich Branch Manager-Small Business Specialist. Click here to register.
  • 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Harwich Community Center: Paul and Chris will walk through the latest scams and answer questions. Click here to register.
  • 10 a.m. Friday, April 24, at Whelden Memorial Library: Paul and Marc Petrocchi, West Barnstable Branch Manager-Small Business Specialist, will lead the presentation. Click here to register.
  • 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Snow Library in Orleans: Paul and Chris will be joined by an officer from the Orleans Police Department. Click here to register.
  • 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at Brewster Council on Aging: Paul and Chris will discuss scams and answer questions. Click here to register.
  • 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Brewster Ladies’ Library: Paul and Chris will discuss scams and answer questions.

Light refreshments will be provided. We’re planning more seminars across the Cape, so stay tuned if you cannot make these.

For more fraud prevention tips, please visit our security page.

Cape & Coast Bank Announces Future Leaders Scholarship

capeandcoastbk on March 2, 2026

Cape & Coast Bank has launched its Future Leaders scholarship program and is now accepting applications from Cape Cod high school seniors graduating this spring.

Cape & Coast Bank will award up to four, one-time, $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors residing in and enrolled at Barnstable County schools who plan on attending a two– or four-year accredited college or university. Seniors attending a post-graduate vocational or trade school are also eligible.

The scholarship program has been established to provide financial assistance to students who show leadership acuity through formal roles like athletics or student government, or demonstrate leadership qualities including integrity, collaboration, accountability and a dedication to community service and improvement.

“Cape & Coast Bank is proud to introduce the Future Leaders Scholarship as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting education and investing in the long-term success of our local community,” said Cape & Coast Bank President and CEO Erik Porter. “We look forward to a robust response to the application process and welcome the opportunity to assist high school seniors who are destined the be the next generation of impactful leaders on Cape Cod.”

The simple online application process includes a questionnaire, providing a list of school or community activities, writing a short essay submission and supplying one letter of recommendation from a non-family member.

Interested students can visit our website to apply, and all applications will be considered based on academic performance, participation in leadership roles or demonstration of leadership qualities. The deadline to apply for the Cape & Coast Bank Future Leaders Scholarship is April 30, 2026.

Cape & Coast Bank Celebrates the Holidays with a Month of Charitable Giving

capeandcoastbk on December 23, 2025

Cape & Coast Bank, formerly The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, continues to celebrate the holiday season with a month of charitable acts to support organizations that care for Cape Codders of all ages.

On Giving Tuesday 2025, Cape & Coast Bank continued an 11-year tradition, by providing $15,000 in financial support to food assistance organizations across Cape Cod.

The bank’s decade-long tradition of providing food security assistance on Giving Tuesday, which began in 2014 as a “restock the shelves campaign,” was expanded in 2024 and once again included food distribution organizations in all 15 towns in Barnstable County.

Food assistance organizations that received $1,000 donations include:

The Lower Cape Outreach Council received a $5,000 donation to support its food pantries in Chatham, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet, and in Barnstable, the Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center and Faith Family Kitchen each received $500.

In addition to Giving Tuesday, Cape & Coast Bank were pleased to participate in two outstanding community efforts focused on supporting the youth in our region during the holiday season.

For the Salvation Army’s ‘Dress a Live Doll’ program, the bank had the distinct privilege of supporting six children in our community by sponsoring their holiday wish lists. The bank was also honored to take part in the United States Marine’s Toys for Tots – Stuff a Bus initiative, bringing holiday joy and thoughtfully selected toys to kids in need. Cape & Coast Bank was able to provide over 100 toys for youth of all ages. “This time of year can be difficult for so many in our community, and Cape & Coast Bank is proud and humbled to support these incredible and hard-working organizations that support Cape Codders every day and make the Holiday Season brighter,” said Erik Porter, President and CEO of Cape & Coast Bank.

Cape & Coast Bank Awards $124,750 in Grants to Local Nonprofits

capeandcoastbk on December 17, 2024

Cape & Coast Bank, through its Charitable Foundation Trust (The Coop Foundation) has awarded $124,750 in grants and donations to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Barnstable County residents.

During recent meetings of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, the following new grants were awarded for the second and third quarters of the bank’s 2025 fiscal year:

  • $50,000 to YMCA Cape Cod, distributed in four annual installments, to support the construction of a new YMCA branch in Falmouth.
  • $10,000 to Community Health Center of Cape Cod, distributed in two annual installments, to support the organization’s ‘Expanded Access in Sandwich” campaign to construct a new 19,970 square-foot building to serve the community’s comprehensive health care needs.
  • $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod to help fund the construction of four affordable and energy-efficient homes in Wellfleet. Cape & Coast Bank also offers Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod homeowners an expedited mortgage process, allowing them to keep their mortgages local.
  • $5,250 to Sharing Kindness, Inc. to establish and launch a “Hope Squad” to offer grief support, mental health education and suicide awareness and prevention at a campus of Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis.
  • $5,000 to Cape Cod Village Center for Developmental Disabilities to help fund its Creative Connections program, which fosters self-expression, social skills and emotional and physical wellbeing in young adults with autism or other developmental disabilities.
  • $5,000 to Champ Homes to support its Transitional Housing Assistance Program (THAP) which provides safe and stable housing, utilities and case management services to approximately 75 clients.
  • $2,500 to AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod to support and expand its Overdose Training, Prevention and NARCAN Response programs to continue its key role in fighting to save lives on Cape Cod.
  • $2,500 to Cape Cod Children’s Place to support its Wellspring Project, a program that supports early childhood educators and caregivers of young children to nurture the development of resilience and social wellness of children ages 0-5 and the adults who care for them.
  • $2,500 to Cape Cod Council of Churches to assist in the funding of its Faith Family Kitchen, which serves hot meals three evenings per week to families and individuals in the mid-Cape Community that are experiencing food insecurity.
  • $2,500 to Falmouth Service Center to purchase frozen meats, fresh produce and dairy items for clients to alleviate the rising cost of groceries and continued inflation.
  • $2,500 to Friends of Bourne Council of Aging/Friends Food Pantry to assist those in the town of Bourne experiencing food insecurities due to economic hardship.
  • $2,500 to Mass Appeal, Inc. to be used for its Underwear Program, which offers children on the Outer and Lower Cape with new underwear, fostering a positive self-image and sense of autonomy.
  • $2,000 to One Shared Spirit, Inc. to provide addiction support and education in Barnstable County to reduce the frequency of overdoses with life-saving supplies, education and a stigma-free environment.

“We are proud to support the dedicated nonprofit organizations throughout Cape Cod that are the beneficiaries of the latest Coop Foundation and Corporate Giving grants and donations,” said Lisa Oliver, Chair, President and CEO, Cape & Coast Bank. “As a true community bank, we are keenly – and often firsthand – aware of the socioeconomic issues affecting the region and are compelled to do whatever we can to assist nonprofits serving Barnstable County.”

The Coop Foundation also issued the third $12,500 installment of a four-year, $50,000 grant to Housing Assistance Corporation to support its THRIVE Workforce Rental Housing Voucher Program, as well as a final $10,000 installment of a three-year, $30,000 grant to Amplify POC Cape Cod to support program and capacity building.

2024 Holiday Giving

capeandcoastbk on December 6, 2024

volunteers shopped for Dress a Live Doll

Employees volunteered to shop for children via The Salvation Army’s Dress a Live Doll program.

Paying It Forward

In 2024, we raised about $26,000 through our employee-managed #PayingItForward Program to help 26 nonprofit organizations. For the past 14 years, our employees have supported local nonprofit organizations in our community by wearing jeans at work.

Every other Friday, employees donate a minimum of $5, and an organization is designated as the beneficiary. The organizations are nominated by employees and selected by the employee-based Pay It Forward committee. The only criteria for nominations is that the organization be affiliated with Cape Cod and a registered 501(c)3.

This holiday season, our employees worked in teams to use #PayItForward funds for the following holiday community programs:

employees helped put together and deliver holiday meals in MashpeeHoliday Meal Deliveries

The Mashpee Chamber of Commerce is proud to organize and deliver holiday dinners to home-bound and in-need Mashpee residents. This year, our sponsorship helped with the cost of the meals. Our team also joined in to help make the deliveries!

Meals On Wheels

For the past 11 years, the Bank has provided holiday cards to be distributed with the Meals on Wheels deliveries for seniors served by the Barnstable Senior Center. We also have employees who volunteer to deliver meals on a weekly basis throughout the year.

#GivingTuesday

Our decade-long tradition of supporting local food pantries on Giving Tuesday expanded this year to include food distribution organizations in all 15 towns in Barnstable County.

Food pantries receiving $1,000 donations include:

Two pantries received an adjusted $500 Giving Tuesday donation. Both Friends Food Pantry in Bourne and Falmouth Service Center in Falmouth applied for and received grants from The Coop Foundation to help defray the cost of purchasing frozen meats, fresh produce and dairy items for their clients.

The Coop has also donated $3,000 to Lower Cape Outreach Council for its food pantries in Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Orleans and Wellfleet. The additional $2,000 is a directed gift from two retiring trustees of The Coop Foundation.

Organizations providing food support to larger regions of the Cape are also part of the Giving Tuesday donations, including  the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod food pantries in Hyannis and Provincetown, Family Table Collaborative, Sustainable CAPE, and Cape Kid Meals.

Cape & Coast Bank Supports Local Food Pantries in all 15 Barnstable County Towns on Giving Tuesday

capeandcoastbk on December 3, 2024

Cape & Coast Bank will provide $15,000 in financial support to food pantries throughout the region on Giving Tuesday 2024.

The bank’s decade-long tradition of supporting local food pantries on Giving Tuesday, which began in 2014 as a “restock the shelves campaign,” has been expanded this year to include food distribution organizations in all 15 towns in Barnstable County.

Food pantries receiving $1,000 donations include:

Two pantries received an adjusted $500 Giving Tuesday donation. Both Friends Food Pantry in Bourne and Falmouth Service Center in Falmouth applied for and received grants from The Coop Foundation to help defray the cost of purchasing frozen meats, fresh produce and dairy items for their clients.

The Coop has also donated $3,000 to Lower Cape Outreach Council for its food pantries in Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Orleans and Wellfleet. The additional $2,000 is a directed gift from two retiring trustees of The Coop Foundation.

“There are too many of our friends and neighbors suffering from food insecurity on Cape Cod, which is only exacerbated by inflation and the continuing affordable housing crisis,” said Lisa Oliver, Chair, President and CEO of Cape & Coast Bank. “The Coop applauds the dedication and hard work of our local food pantries and their volunteers to ensure Cape Cod families have food on the table. Please join us and generously support our local food pantries during the holiday season and throughout the year.”

Organizations providing food support to larger regions of the Cape are also part of the Giving Tuesday donations, including  the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod food pantries in Hyannis and Provincetown, Family Table Collaborative, Sustainable CAPE, and Cape Kid Meals.

Scott Kwarta Appointed to Friends or Relatives with Autism and Related Disabilities (F.O.R.W.A.R.D.) board

capeandcoastbk on May 13, 2024

Scott Kwarta headshotCape & Coast Bank has announced that Chief Operating and Risk Officer Scott Kwarta has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Friends or Relatives with Autism and Related Disabilities (F.O.R.W.A.R.D.), a Dennis-based nonprofit focused on building affordable housing for adults with autism.

Kwarta, an accomplished professional with more than 25 years of experience in senior roles at several leading financial institutions in New England, will serve as treasurer and chief of the finance committee during his tenure on the F.O.R.W.A.R.D. Board of Directors.

“Our F.O.R.W.A.R.D. at the Rock housing project for adults with autism draws upon support from Cape towns, allied nonprofit organizations and fundraising efforts,” said Kathy Ohman, President of F.O.R.W.A.R.D. “Scott’s devotion to philanthropy and community service, along with his financial expertise, will catalyze what F.O.R.W.A.R.D. is able to accomplish for adults with autism in our community and ensure they can thrive in a safe and healthy environment. His work here will touch a lot of lives.”

“F.O.R.W.A.R.D. is a remarkable organization, and I look forward to serving on its Board of Directors to help advance its mission and expand its presence in the region,” said Kwarta. “F.O.R.W.A.R.D. is meeting a critical need to provide therapeutic, supportive home environments that greatly improve quality of life for residents.”

Kwarta, of Falmouth, is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Fordham University. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands.