Greetings!
Spring on the Outer Cape always reminds me how much can grow when the conditions are right — when there’s sunlight, steady care, and a community willing to show up season after season. As I look at where Helping Our Women (HOW) is today, I see all of those things reflected back. And in this month of recognizing the importance of women’s health, I thought I’d share a few highlights.
Over the past seven years, HOW has grown in ways that once felt like distant dreams. We’ve nearly tripled our staff, doubled our footprint with the opening of the Ann Maguire Women’s Wellness Center (AMWWC) in Eastham, and expanded our services across the board — from 567 healthcare rides in 2019 to 1,200 last year, from $84,000 in financial assistance to nearly $200,000, and from a few hundred food access touchpoints to more than 2,200. In 2025, we launched our Peer Wellness Coaching (PWC) program, which has already delivered close to 100 free coaching sessions to women navigating their own health journeys.
None of this growth belongs to HOW alone. It belongs to you — to every donor who gave, every volunteer who showed up, every partner who collaborated, and every woman who trusted us to walk alongside her. Together, you are the sunlight and the steady care. You are the reason this community keeps growing.
And like the tides on our shores, growth always brings movement. People come and go — clients, volunteers, colleagues, partners — each holding a place in the HOW community for a season. Last month, our Client Services Manager, Cathy McDonough, decided to shift her professional focus, and we sent her off with deep gratitude for all she gave to HOW and the women we serve. We’ll be reaching out soon for your help in welcoming the newest member of our team.
Thank you for being part of this community. There’s so much more ahead — and there’s a place for you in all of it.
With gratitude,
Gwynne