At 82-years-old, Kirk, a retired art teacher, moved to the Cape to take care of his younger sister after she was diagnosed with dementia. Their combined finances did not allow for the 24-hour care she would need, so Kirk decided that his “purpose in life has turned out to be spending the remaining years with my sister in a place that we love.”
While visiting one of the Lower Cape Outreach Council’s (LCOC) nine food pantries, Kirk was able to speak with the agency’s social worker who was on-site to meet with clients about financial challenges. In addition to their food pantries, LCOC also operates a financial assistance program – staffed by volunteer advocates and overseen by licensed social worker – to help residents of the eight Lower and Outer Cape towns who are dealing with unexpected financial burdens.
“I went to the church that morning to get the wonderful assortment of food from the pantry, but I received so much more,” Kirk said. While talking with the LCOC advocate, Kirk pointed out that he needed to replace a tire on the family vehicle that he uses to bring his sister to medical appointments. After a quick inspection, it was clear that all four tires needed to be replaced and the advocate quickly set Kirk up with an appointment at a local auto repair shop. He was humbled and beyond grateful to accept the contribution of four new tires from the Lower Cape Outreach Council.
“I am just so thankful that I went out to the pantry that day.” Kirk said. “The whole spirit of Cape Cod is a gift to my soul. To have the chance encounter with the Lower Cape Outreach Council was just a miracle.”