Harwich officials are scrambling to coordinate emergency food resources following the news that federal SNAP benefits will be suspended for the month of November due to a government shutdown. Council on Aging Director Julie Wieleba-Milne informed the board on Wednesday that the lapse will hit 328 Harwich residents over the age of 60 particularly hard, with many losing an average of $200 in monthly grocery assistance. Wieleba-Milne noted that the state currently lacks the funds to bridge the gap, prompting a local mobilization of the Family Pantry and town lunch programs. There is no test of income or assets to participate in this, Wieleba-Milne said of the emergency food distributions. We don’t ask anything about your income. If you would like to participate, we’re happy to put the order in for you and bring it to your home.

The urgency of the situation sparked a sharp discussion regarding the town’s role in social safety nets. Board Chair Richard Waystack urged the department to bypass standard timelines to ensure no resident goes hungry. This is the core of what we do. We’ve got to get to the people in our community, Waystack said, suggesting a presentation to the Select Board to secure emergency funding. Board member Angie Chilaka emphasized the need for wider communication, stating, I think you should also put it in the school news... it’s a lot of families. Jen Anderson echoed the need for a unified resource list, noting that people are very confused by the sudden loss of federal support. Guest Bob Hamilton of the Friends of the COA expressed frustration with the state’s response, remarking, If this isn’t a rainy day, I don’t know what is.

The council also turned its attention to long-term planning, specifically the upcoming public presentation of the UMass Needs Assessment scheduled for November 18. The data comes at a difficult fiscal moment for the town. Waystack warned the board that the town’s $90 million budget is under strain from wastewater infrastructure costs and rising insurance premiums. He noted a recent budget message from town administration indicating that enhanced services will likely not be funded in the coming year. Waystack explained that any new initiatives identified in the needs assessment would require creative funding through the Friends of the COA to avoid tax impacts. Any recommendation that’s made that we’re going to make changes has to have a funding source to make it happen, he said.

Board members are also facing a significant change in how they conduct town business. Following a recent mandate from the Charter Commission, all board members must transition to official town email addresses within the next month. The move is designed to shield personal devices and private email accounts from public records requests. The reason for that is that should anything occur, someone make a public records request, they can request all of your own personal email, Waystack explained. Member John Batchelder sought clarification on the scope of the policy, asking, This covers like board members but not volunteers, correct? Officials confirmed the policy currently only targets committee members, though they acknowledged that the COA relies on a unique volume of daily volunteers.

Earlier in the meeting, the board handled routine administrative tasks. Motion Made by an unidentified member to approve the minutes. Motion Passed Unanimously.

Looking toward the holidays, the department is seeking 25 volunteers to assist with food and gift deliveries in November and December. Additionally, Youth and Family Services Director Ashley Simington is recruiting older men to serve as mentors for the Boys Belong intergenerational program starting in March. In board updates, Sheila House highlighted an upcoming Pass the Love fundraiser on November 8, while Carol DeLina celebrated her return to the local golf circuit. Waystack closed the meeting by reiterating that the SNAP crisis remains the department's top priority, stating that the council will push off the Thanksgiving stuff to address immediate hunger concerns.