Letter: No Special Appeal Needed for Community Fund This Year

To the Editor,

For the past 15 years the Wayland Community Fund has helped Wayland residents in financial need by providing assistance with utility payments, rent, food, medical and other expenses. Last November, when we were concerned that we would run out of funds long before the end of our fiscal year, we sent an appeal to every family in Wayland. The response was overwhelming.  Wayland residents were so generous that we received enough contributions to carry us well into the following fiscal year. Those funds, plus the contributions we regularly receive from residents, should now carry us through early summer 2013.   

As we are no longer in the dire straits we found ourselves last year, we will not to send out an appeal this fall. No one likes to receive all those requests for contributions that arrive in mailboxes in November and December. We don’t want to cry wolf or suggest that our demise is imminent when we now have sufficient funding for at least several months.

Fortunately, a lot of Wayland residents send regular contributions without being reminded or asked. We still rely heavily on those contributions.   

During our 15 years, the WCF has provided more than $366,000 to Wayland residents. We are staffed by five volunteers and we have no administrative or operating costs. Every penny in contributions goes directly toward paying a utility bill, rent, helping with food, or other expense.

If you are willing to help, please send a contribution to the Wayland Community Fund, Wayland Town Building, Wayland MA 01778. We have more information on the town website.

Thanks,
Mike Patterson
Chairman, Wayland Community Fund