Open Enrollment November 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016 - apply for Health and Dental insurance.  If you are a current member and want to change your plan you can shop for and choose a plan - compare plans online at www.MAhealthconnector.org.  View flyer for more information.

Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands has certified MA Health Connector Navigators trained to help you! To schedule an appointment or for more information: call 508-771-1727 or walk-in at 372 North St., Hyannis, MA. (We offer services in Falmouth and on Nantucket, by appointment only.)

Cove Clubhouse will host an Art & Craft Sale on Saturday, December 5th, from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at 383 Route 28, Harwichport, MA

All proceeds support local artists and accessible mental health services in our community.  View flyer.

The Cape Cod Family Resource Center, in collaboration with Cape Abilities, invite you to join this holiday season by giving the Gift of Warmth.  Families will be provided warm hats, gloves, mittens, an socks during the winter season.  New and gently used items can be dropped off at two locations: The Cape Cod Family Resource Center, 29 Bassett Lane, Hyannis or Cape Abilities, 895 Mary Dunn Road, Hyannis.  Donations will be accepted beginning Monday, November 16 through Monday, December 14th.  View flyer.  For questions please call or email Cynthia at 508/815-5143 or cklopfer@familycontinuity.org.

Cape Cod Family Resource Center is also one of several drop-off locations on Cape Cod for Baby Carriers for Refugees.  New and gently used soft structured carriers will be accepted to send to Europe for distribution for volunteers to refugee families.  View flyer.

View the Cape Cod Family Resource Center's December Calendar and Newsletter for additional events and information.

• December 7th from 6pm - 7:30pm: The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, 307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth

The holidays are just around the corner and Cape Cod Center for Women is gearing up for one of their most exciting fundraisers, Spectacle of Trees.  You can win a beautiful Christmas tree and all of the fabulous gifts that come with it by pre-purchasing Tree Bucks at $10.00 each.  The Spectacle of Trees is a remarkable event where local non-profits put together Christmas trees adorned with tinsel and ornaments and a whole host of fabulous gifts. 

The Center's "Blue Jean Baby" Christmas tree is symbolic of their fabulous Jeans & Jewels Jubilee held annually in March (Save the date: March 19, 2016) and tucked around the skirt are gifts totaling $5,000!!

You can view the trees at the JFK Museum in Hyannis from Friday, December 4th through Saturday, December 12th.  For event details and to purchase "Tree Bucks" to support the Cape Cod Center for Women visit http://cccwspectacleoftrees.eventbrite.com

Santa's Elves are at it again at Duffy Health Center.  They are asking for donations of small items like gift cards to TJ Maxx, Dollar Store, Regal Cinemas; toiletries, wallets, pocket calendars or other items that could bright a client's holidays.

Please drop off items no later than December 15th at the reception desk in the lobby of Duffy Health Center, 94 Main St., Hyannis, Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 5 PM.  View flyer.

Make a Teen Happy:  Private donations of winter clothing help make the holidays bright for teens (ages 13-18) of low income parents.

Toys for Tots Depot:  CACCI is one of the distributors for the Toys for Tots program on Cape Cod.

To sign up for any of these programs please see CACCI receptionist to schedule an intake appointment or call 508/771-1727 to make an intake appointment.  View flyer for eligibility requirements.

Beginning December 5th through January 16th, AmeriCorps Cape Cod will hold a collection for old, broken, and unused holiday string lights.  The aim is to collect the lights and recycling them instead of having them thrown in the trash and sent to the landfills.  People who donate their lights will have a chance to sign up to be entered into a raffle to win a strand of energy efficient LED string lights donated by Cape Light Compact.

View flyer for list of drop-off locations across Cape Cod.  For more information visit http://www.americorpscapecod.org or call 508/375-6906.

If you have been approved for fuel assistance and live in the Town of Dennis, you may qualify for extra help for heat utilities up to $300.00, or a tank of oil for consumers of all ages from the Town of Dennis.  Read eligibility requirements.

If you have not applied for the State/Federal Fuel Assistance through South Shore Community Action in Plymouth and you feel you need fuel assistance, please call Marion Prendergast at 508/694-2004 to schedule an appointment.

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free, 1-hour Coping with Stress and Depression webinar on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT.  This webinar is designed for family caregivers, human resources managers, EAP professionals, and adults concerned about themselves or others.  Read Stress and Depression Fact Sheet.  View flyer.

Register at www.familyaware.org/trainings.

The next meeting of the Community Network of Cape Cod is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 12 Noon to 1:30 PM at 29 Bassett Lane, Hyannis (new location & time!)  You are welcome to bring your lunch.

Speaker will be Detective Chris Kent from the Yarmouth Police Department who will give update on current drug trends affecting the Cape Cod community.  Sharing his experiences, warning signs of drug use, and more importantly, ways to combat the drug problem on Cape Cod, Chris helps community members and providers become more aware and educated on drug use.

Celebrate with "Vocal Visible Valuable" Community Action for Recovery for people in recovery, families and friends.

• December 9, 5:30 - 7:45 PM, Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester.
• December 9, 5:30 - 7:45 PM, MOAR, 29 Winter St, 2nd floor, Boston

No fee - contributions accepted.  Informal buffet.  View flyer. RSVP to MOAR at 617/423-6627 or Maryanne@moar-recovery.org

The 2015 Holiday Dinner hosted by the Friends of the Barnstable Council on Aging is scheduled for Friday, December 11th, 11 A.M. - 2 P.M. at the Barnstable Senior Center, 825 Falmouth Rd., Hyannis.  The event will feature the amazing music by Susan Linton.

RSVP required to 508/862-4750 - $13.00 per person.  The Crafters Group will also have special hand-crafted items available for sale.

Other happenings at the Barnstable Senior Center:

Men's Only Caregiver Support Group: 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month 9:30 - 11:00 AM facilitated by the Family Caregiver Support Program of Elder Services of Cape Cod & the Islands.  To enroll, contact Frank Riley at 508/394-4630.

General Caregiver Support Group: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month, 9:30 - 11:00 AM.  To enroll contact Beth Gilmore at 508/394-4630 ext 450.

Parkinson's Support Group "New": 4th Monday of the month at 1:00 PM.  Facilitated by the Barnstable Parkinson's Support Group, this group will bring together individuals with Parkinson's Disease and/or their care providers.  To enroll contact Ellen at 774/487-0530 or Merrill at 508/362-3217.

Overview Workshop: "What Women Need to Know about Family Law but are Afraid to Ask"  presented by Attorney Chantal Hayes.  Workshop will be held on Monday, December 14, 2015, 5:30 - 7:30 PM at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St.

Time set aside for Q&A with attendees.  Reimbursement for child care is available for women who would otherwise not be able to attend.  Registration is mandatory - please call WE CAN at 508/430-8111. View flyer for more details.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is pleased to announce the start of the winter 2016 affordable housing competition for rental projects.  The deadline for submitting applications to the winter 2016 competition will be Friday, March 11, 2016. 

On or before that date, DHCD will accept applications from sponsors whose projects were approved through the Department's pre-application process, with a pre-application submission deadline of December 17, 2015. Only projects with approved pre-applications will be considered during the winter 2016 competition.

All applications must be submitted on-line using the Department's Mass OneStop+ web-based application.  View complete details of the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

The RSVP/Senior Environment Corps Volunteer Program of Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands will conduct home Radon testing to any homeowner on Cape Cod.  RSVP volunteers are trained in accordance with guidance provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Testing will run in November and will end on March 31, 2016.  If you would like your home tested, please call Elder Services at 508/394-4630 ext. 524 or 1-888-394-4630 ext. 524 and leave your contact information.  Read more.......

With funds from the Eastham Affordable Housing Trust, the Harwich Ecumenical Council for Housing (HECH) is accepting applications for rental assistance to income qualifying households who live, work or have a child attending school in Eastham.  This is an important program offering residents of Eastham up to $350.00/month for up to 3 years in rental assistance.  Openings available immediately.  View flyer.

For more information and an application visit HECH.org, call 508/432-0015 x 101 or email Nicole@hech.org.

Kennedy Donovan Center, Cape Cod Community Services presents: 2016 Pathway Presentation Series ~ Journey of Acceptance.

January 26: Dealing with a Diagnosis - The Early Stages

February 23: Where Do I Go From Here? - Self Supports

March 22: Balancing Your Family

April 26: How To Get What You Need - Effective Communication and Appreciative Inquiry

May 24: Caregiver Balancing - Finding Your Way to a Healthier Life

Location: West Barnstable Community Building, 2377 Meetinghouse Way, Rte. 149, W. Barnstable

Time: 5-7:00 PM

Cost: Free.  Limited childcare and light supper provided

Registration required: Contact Juliane Dillon, KDC Outreach Coordinator at 774/352-1325 or jdillon@kdc.org.  View flyer for more details.

Cape Cod Neighborhood Support Coalition has relocated to 805 Teaticket Highway, Teaticket, MA  02536.  The mailing address is P.O. Box 2395,Teaticket, MA  02536.  The phone number will remain the same - 508/771-4336.

The Coalition will continue to support families across the Cape and Islands and this move will create new relationship with Upper Cape colleagues and families.