News
Here’s the link to our e-newsletter celebrating our opening of the Toy Lending Library and the hundreds of supporters that have brought these resources into being for Cape children and families as well as visitors to the Cape!
https://conta.cc/3zI4jYU
And, here’s the link to our Intro Video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm-BJ2zHIGo
Dr. Paula Sperry ‘s “Talking Back” podcast interview with CCTL Founder, Deb Willsea at the Toy Library shares enthusiasm for the Cape Cod Toy Lending Library and the Outdoor Play Oasis outreach initiative as helpful agents in supporting the health of children, families and the Cape community.
Mass Development Press Release - Oct 6, 2021
$50K FOR OUTDOOR PLAY OASIS
MassDevelopment Grant Transforms Underutilized Backyard of Hyannis Public Library into Downtown Destination for Families
[Conceptual design courtesy of the Cape Cod Toy Library]Matthew Mogavero, 857-248-0868
mmogavero@massdevelopment.com<mailto:mmogavero@massdevelopment.com>
HYANNIS, Mass. – MassDevelopment has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Cape Cod Toy Library, which will use funds to transform the underutilized backyard of the Hyannis Public Library into the Outdoor Play Oasis, a space for families to spend time together in an inclusive environment designed to foster children’s curiosity, creativity, problem-solving abilities, social connections, and physical activity. By providing a stage, garden areas, benches, and several play features, the Outdoor Play Oasis aims to serve as a family-friendly destination that will inspire residents and visitors to spend time in downtown Hyannis, visit shops and restaurants, and support local economic recovery. The Cape Cod Toy Library will also crowdfund this fall, with donations being accepted at bit.ly/3lHNYLx<http://www.bit.ly/3lHNYLx>; if the organization reaches its $40,000 goal it will receive an additional $40,000 matching grant from MassDevelopment. The funds are awarded through MassDevelopment’s special Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places<https://www.massdevelopment.com/what-we-offer/real-estate-services/commonwealth-places/>, which was made available specifically to assist local economic recovery efforts as community partners prepare public spaces and commercial districts to serve residents and visitors.
“Before this pandemic, the vibrant centers of our cities and towns were not only a driving force behind the strength of local economies, they were the places where we gathered to dine, to shop, and to be entertained, and the Commonwealth Places program is one way that we can help these areas bounce back stronger than ever,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as chair of MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors. “The Baker-Polito Administration continues to support downtowns and town centers through various economic recovery programs, and these Resurgent Places grants are providing non-profit community organizations with the resources to activate public spaces, boost economic activity, and support an equitable recovery.”
“MassDevelopment is committed to assisting communities on Cape Cod and across the Commonwealth as they attract residents and visitors to their downtown areas and business districts and recover from the impacts of COVID-19,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “We’re pleased to help activate an underutilized outdoor area into a new attraction in downtown Hyannis, offering families an inclusive play space where children can explore their curiosities and use their imaginations.”
Created in 2016, Commonwealth Places aims to engage and mobilize community members to make individual contributions to placemaking projects, with the incentive of a funding match from MassDevelopment if the crowdfunding goal is reached. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MassDevelopment announced the opening of the first Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places in June 2020<https://www.massdevelopment.com/news/massdevelopment-announces-225000-in-commonwealth-places-funding-to-support-economic-recovery-from-covid-19-through-placemaking/> and from August – October 2020 awarded $224,965 in funding for 21 placemaking projects across Massachusetts.
In December 2020<https://www.massdevelopment.com/news/massdevelopment-announces-390000-in-commonwealth-places-funding-to-support-economic-recovery-from-covid-19-through-placemaking/>, MassDevelopment announced the availability of $390,000 in funding for a second Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places. Nonprofits and other community groups can apply to MassDevelopment for seed grants of between $250 to $7,500 to fund inclusive community engagement, visioning, and local capacity building that will support future placemaking efforts, or implementation grants of up to $50,000 to execute a placemaking project. For implementation grants, up to $10,000 per project may be awarded as an unmatched grant; awards greater than $10,000 must be matched with crowdfunding donations.
More information about the program is available at massdevelopment.com/commonwealthplaces<https://www.massdevelopment.com/what-we-offer/real-estate-services/commonwealth-places>.
MassDevelopment, the state’s development finance agency and land bank, works with businesses, nonprofits, banks, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2021, MassDevelopment financed or managed 416 projects generating investment of more than $1.86 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 6,578 jobs and build or preserve 1,909 housing units.
Race Amity Day’s purpose to focus on building friends to break down racial barriers. Cape Cod Toy Library is pleased to participate in this First Annual Race Amity Day Festival, June 13, 2021, to celebrate family, fun and culture in Mashpee.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts A Proclamation
His Excellency Governor Charles D. Baker
Whereas Massachusetts supports the Great Seal of the United States of America which bears the inscription, E Pluribus Unum, which translates from Latin as “Out of many, one”; and Whereas The greatest asset of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is its people; and Whereas The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is comprised of multicultural, multiethnic and multiracial citizens; and Whereas Friendship, collegiality, civility, respect, and kindness are commonly shared ideals of the collective citizenry of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and Whereas The Towards E Pluribus Unum Initiative has invited communities across the United States of America to join in introspection and reflection on the beauty and richness of the diverse peoples of this great nation while reaching out with a spirit of amity toward one another annually on the second Sunday in June; and Whereas H 2745, Chapter 163 of Acts of 2015 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts establishes the Second Sunday in June Annually as Race Amity Day,
Now, Therefore, I, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim June 11th, 2017, to be, And urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance. Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this Twenty-Third Day of March, in the year two thousand and seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and forty-first.
By His Excellency
Charles D. Baker
Governor of the Commonwealth
Karyn E. Polito
Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth
William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth
https://www.capeandislandsuw.org/post/micro-grants-awarded-to-cape-cod-toy-library-and?fbclid=IwAR1ud139C0lTAPDnyIdOJkd42_q4Wgr-XKXpmlwaNAgapA8bR2w_0gzfK9Q
This past year more than ever, many parents have been forced to navigate uncharted waters as they face issues with job security, food security, child care and ever changing school schedules and protocols. The increased financial and emotional burden has caused many parents to lose confidence and feel ill-equipped to support their children’s needs.
There is tremendous concern for the impact on emotional and behavioral health as well as children’s development, especially for vulnerable families with special needs and mental health conditions.
The Cape Cod Toy Library is a community resource for families to access developmentally appropriate toys and information on how to facilitate play for children to be actively engaged in meaningful learning. While they've had to be closed, they continue to reach out to families, including creating engaging parent-child videos and putting together fun and safe events such as their "Outdoor Family Play Challenge."
Grant funds will be used to re-launch their toy lending program as soon as possible. A dedicated volunteer team of early childhood educators have been cleaning, organizing, photographing and cataloging a curated collection of 1,400+ high-quality toys and 200+ parenting resource books, donated by 100+ Cape families and businesses.
If you’re a parent struggling to meet your children’s needs during this pandemic, our hearts go out to you. As so many navigate job loss and uncertainty, parents are overwhelmed. They worry about food for their family, juggling child-care and school time (virtually or in-person), and isolation. Stressed to the max, many have lost confidence and feel ill-equipped to support their children’s needs.
But there is a solution! Did you know that a great way to help manage stress is screen-free play? It’s essential for children’s healthy development and it helps parents too, especially now!
Cape Cod Toy Library is uniquely positioned to support the parents and children’s need for play. As a “Family Play Learning Center”, we are a community resource for families to access developmentally appropriate toys and information on “how to” facilitate play for children to be actively engaged in meaningful learning.
With your help, we can rebuild parents’ confidence, reduce family stress and regenerate household joy!
Your gift of as little as $25 can help launch our exciting toy lending program. And to make it even more exciting, a group of generous donors has offered a special Holiday challenge. They will match any gifts, dollar for dollar, made by December 31st, up to $3,500! Your gift today will be worth twice as much!
