Needy Fund helps a young couple expecting their first child to secure a safe place to live

The lack of affordable housing on the Cape can be hard on young people trying to make it on their own, especially when living with family or friends is not an option.

A young Mid-Cape couple was expecting their first child when the basement apartment that they rented was deemed unsafe in which to live.

One had a full-time job in health care, but the other fell ill with a debilitating condition and was unable to work.

With no place to live, the couple was getting by on a single income as they waited for their disability insurance to be approved.

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Move-in costs were too much

After months of searching, they finally found a place that they could afford month to month, but move-in costs were greater than the amount they had saved up.

The Needy Fund stepped in and took care of the young family’s rent for the first month.

Now, the couple can welcome a new life into a safe, stable environment.

Many human service agencies offer assistance to those in need, but the Cape Cod Times Needy Fund has been helping with a host of immediate, short-term emergencies such as food, rent, medical costs and other basic expenses since 1936.

No cash is given to Needy Fund recipients. Instead, the organization pays vendors through a voucher program. The case described above was provided by the Needy Fund on condition of anonymity.

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How to donate to the Needy Fund

Donations, which are tax deductible, may be made at needyfund.org. Checks also can be made payable to the Cape Cod Times Needy Fund and mailed to Cape Cod Times Needy Fund, P.O. Box 36, Hyannis, MA 02601.

Those needing help may contact the Needy Fund at 508-778-5661 or 800-422-1446.

Questions can be emailed to info@needyfund.org. The Needy Fund is also on Facebook (facebook.com/NeedyFund) and Twitter (@NeedyFund).

Total Contributions To Date; $520,044.46

Maureen Wilkens;$100,000

Anonymous;$12,000

In memory of special friends Steve and Laurie Hayes from Lee and Carol Burgess;$1,000

The United Way of Rhode Island matching a donation from Dena and Ken Carlone;$1,000

MaryEllen and Francis Lacroix;$1,000

Ross R. Coppelman Goldsmith Inc.;$1,000

Anonymous;$600

In memory of Laurie Jean Hayes;$500

John Edmonston;$500

Betsey and Ken Cheitlin;$500

Joseph Rizzo and Mary Ryan;$500

Cornel J. Faucher and Mary Beth Rooney;$500

Sarah A. Rothermel;$500

Nancy K Wilbur;$500

Harry and Katherine Alverson;$500

Sheila Gargano;$500

In celebration of the wedding of Deborah Wadmond and Karle Packard from John and Mary Beth Birchby;$400

Barnstable High School Class of 1963 reunion;$393.23

United Way Of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley;$373.36

Janet and James Cochrane;$350

Barbara Smith;$350

Teri and Bill Cavanagh;$350

Daniel and Lisa Desmarais;$250

Karen Otto;$250

Shelley Dawson;$250

Vanessa Parks and Jim Amorello;$250

William and Mary Regan;$250

HJM Realty Trust;$250

In loving memory of Kath and Maud Ann Kirk;$250

God bless the needy;$225

In memory of Don Campbell;$200

Paula A. Johnson;$200

Jeanne Hays;$200

David and Penny Bergeson;$200

Sharon and Fred Johanson;$200

Honoring the memory of Gordon Howe of Chatham;$200

The Judelson Family;$200

Carol Cichy;$200

John and Elaine Cahill;$200

Mark Flaherty;$200

Christie Turner;$200

In memory of our daughters Jackie and Jane from John and Diane Elliott;$200

Roland Kelley;$200

Tom and Marcia VanderVoort;$200

LeRoy and Antoinette Malouf;$150

Linda Broughton;$10

In memory of Margaret Lansing from Fred and Joan Gabriel;$100

Francis Miller;$100

Roy and Patricia Gatto Hechavarria;$100

Hugh and Lorraine White;$30

Amy Natiello;$25

Ann E. Aghababian;$100

In memory of Joan Rogers from Skip and Sandy Scudder;$50

In memory of Leo Gildea from Skip and Sandy Scudder;$50

In memory of Ada Coventon from Skip and Sandy Scudder;$50

In honor of Peter Scarafile's birthday from Deborah Converse;$25

Lois Callahan;$25

Anonymous;$100

In memory of Rev. John J. Perry from Rev. Richard S. DeVeer;$100

Bill and Jean Unger;$50

Bourne United Methodist Church Women;$175

Carol McCabe;$25

The Walker Family;$50

Mike and Joanie Perna;$50

In memory of Nona Martin;$100

Anonymous;$50

Patricia A. White;$50

In memory of Bob Hoey from Maureen Hoey;$25

Paul and Mary Ellen Hewins;$100

Peter Howell;$50

Jim and Betty Cullen;$100

Anonymous;$52

Richard Mitzner;$50

Bruce and Patricia White;$50

In honor of Jackie Schrafft and Cindy Petri for their September birthdays;$150

Sonja J. Riordan;$25

Muriel Thomas;$25

T. Scott Collins;$25

Diane L. Sciuto;$50

In memory of Andrea Pedersen from Errol M. Chamsarian;$50

Judith and William Page;$100

Lee Adams;$100

Anonymous;$100

Rosemary Keenan;$20

Anonymous;$15

Anonymous;$50

Deon and Eleni Theoharidis;$50

The Joseph DaLuz Family;$50

Wanda Nevins;$25

In loving memory of Dorothy Glidden from Ken and Ann Berg;$50

Judith M. Verny;$50

John and Johanna Crosby;$100

Richard and Nancy Kelly;$100

Lewis and Maureen Andujar;$50

Melora North;$50

Sandra P. Picariello;$100

Anonymous;$25

Rachel Crosby;$25

Carol and Bruce Barnard;$50

Michael and Eileen Birch;$50

John and Kathy Cuddy;$100

In memory of our loved ones from Cheryl and Nelson Belanger;$150

Richard and Kelly Peckham;$100

Sandra Rice;$100

Joseph and Edna Holland;$50

Robert and Johanna Maryanski;$100

In memory of Traci;$25

In memory of Robert F. Pons from Barbara and Thomas Pons;$25

Gail Cronin;$50

Carolyn Richardson;$50

Jane Cronin;$100

Judy and Dick Knowles;$25

Irene and Walter Lesniaski;$100

Thank you and in honor of Mariana Duncan for her time and energy;$100

James and Margaret Ledwell;$100

Susan and Chester Yacek;$50

Gene and Diane Greene;$15

Liz Green;Realtor;$150

Mr. and Mrs. Paul McCluskey;$52

Nita and Michael Pigo-Cronin;$25

The Akins;$100

Eugenie S. Shaw;$25

Anonymous;$25

Pamela l Flynn;$50

Paypal Charitable Giving Fund;$94

In memory of Elizabeth Reed;$50

David and Cynthia Cayton;$10

Anonymous;$50

Richard and Patricia Tucker;$60

Anonymous;$100

Susan and R. Keith Salisbury;$100

Julie D'Andrea;$30

Gary Roberts;$50

In honor of my wife, Mary;$103

George and Catherine Ferreira;$50

William and Donna Eident;$100

Alan and Sue Porretti;$100

Tracy and Richard Weeks;$50

In memory of our father Mario Miele;$100

Jane Behan;$25

In honor of all first responders from Elizabeth M. Brady and Carol S. Field;$100

Peter, Pal, Hobo, Zephyr, Tuffy;$100

Robert Welch;$25

Rene Guenette;$100

In memory of our cousin David N. Bouldry from Harold and Linda Torrey;$50

Anonymous;$50

Paula Degree;$50

In memory of James Healy;$100

Anonymous;$50

Paul and Marilyn Kreckler;$100

Joseph and Frances Garfield;$100

Virginia Clarendon;$100

Anonymous;$15

Given to celebrate the birthday of our friend and neighbor on Cape Cod, Barbara Denver from Lisa and James Graham;$50

Judith A. Johnson;$25

In memory of Jack Bolton from Kristine and Peter Fisher;$50

Catherine and Steven Manni;$20

Anonymous;$10

Denis and Kathleen Casaubon;$100

Joan Wright;$100

Leslie Plante;$25

Phyllis Willman;$100

Donald B. Curran;$20

Frances Galdi;$15

Evelyn and Alan Dewar;$50

Patricia Dowd;$25

Cindy and John Harper;$100

William and Patricia Roberts;$100

Kenneth and Elizabeth Smith;$100

Hartley A. Johnson;$100

Helen and Hank Rakov;$50

In memory of Edward & Yoland Tavares and Fred & Tess O'Neal;$100

Mary M. MacMillan;$100

Barbara Luss;$100

In memory of Donald and Marcia Durfor;$25

Thomas G. Lamont;$25

William Barnes;$100

Paul and Suzanne Nelson;$15

Byron and Linda Fulcher;$100

Peg and Dan Sullivan;$100

In memory of Edward Blute Sr.;$150

Anonymous;$50

Phyllis A. Dunn;$25

Wes Slate and Georgia Bills;$25

Helen G. Linnehan;$50

James Walsh;$50

Cheryl Miller;$50

Anita and David Powell;$75

Charles and Mary McCarthy;$100

James and Geraldine Medeiros;$100

James and Eileen Fair;$25

Connie E. Kelly;$100

In memory of Rose and Peter Houmere from Karen and Michael Reddish;$25

In memory of family and friends who have passed away from Barbara Gold;$25

Carol and Frank Murphy;$35

Thomas P. Niejadlik;$100

Anonymous;$25

Ed and Shirley Larsen in memory of Betty Jacques;$100

Mary Steede;$25

Jac and Susan McLean;$50

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Needy Fund helps couple expecting child secure safe place to live