The recent generosity of Wayland residents has really helped the Wayland Community Fund to continue its work. Beginning last fall contributions increased almost fifty-percent over the prior year and this made us confident we could continue providing financial help to people in Wayland.

The WCF helps Wayland residents who are in financial need. We pay utility bills, and overdue rent. We help with medical expenses, children’s clothing, food, and many other items. We pay bills, we do not provide cash.
Since July 1st we have received fourteen requests for help. This is slightly less than we experienced last year at this time. To date, 65% of the requests were for assistance with rent, 21% of the requests were for utility payments, and 7% were for food. The milder winter weather may have affected the number of requests. Also, the Massachusetts economy is improving with unemployment among the lowest in the country.

However, most of the individuals and families we help are not in the mainstream of our economy. A few have employment problems but more often than not they are in a position where age, health, and a number of external factors have led to a point where they cannot pay their bills. One elderly applicant, with virtually no income, was about to be evicted because he was behind in his rent. Another applicant was out of heating oil. A single grandparent needed food as her modest income is far too small to provide for the number children and grandchildren in her care. Also, as mentioned in an earlier article, people living in the Boston suburbs do not have access to many of the safety net items available in the inner city.

The Wayland Community Fund is staffed by five volunteers who cover their own expenses. The fund has no overhead or costs. One hundred percent of every dollar in contributions goes directly to helping Wayland residents. The WCF receives no public funding. For more information please see our page on the Wayland web site.

Submitted by Mike Patterson for the Wayland Community Fund