HECH was founded in 1990 by a group of caring residents and concerned clergy to address the crisis of homelessness in Harwich and its surrounding towns. In its early years, volunteers donated time and money to find housing for families facing imminent homelessness and to work out solutions to other housing challenges. Much of the support for their efforts was generated from the Housing with Love Walk which was created by founding Board Member and current HECH President, Bob Murray. Bob and hundreds of other local residents have been walking from Provincetown to Sandwich every July for 20 years to ensure that the needs of year round families continue to be heard and addressed.
Since its creation, HECH has grown into a professionally managed multi-service organization while still maintaining its grassroots culture and core values of compassion and commitment to low and moderate income families. Today, HECH develops housing, both rental and homeownership opportunities and self manages a portfolio of 58 rental units. It also administers rental assistance programs funded by local municipalities and continues to actively help families’ access resources and assistance from a variety of available sources. In 1993, HECH founded The Children’s Center, located on Sisson Road in Harwich. This successful year round childcare program serves 24 families from Wellfleet to Yarmouth and is an important resource for year round working families.
HECH HELPS! HELP HECH!