Of all the things to come out of the pandemic era, Long Island is lucky that one of them is Hamptons Community Outreach. Once a smaller organization called Hampton Art Camp, its narrow focus on providing art activities for needy children nearly buckled under the pressures of the pandemic before expanding to meet its challenges.
It’s just the kind of resilient origin story that the area’s underprivileged populations need more of. Under Marit Molin’s leadership, Hamptons Community Outreach (HCO) is ready to help the area address fundamental needs and combat poverty.
Targeting Real Needs in the Hamptons
“In 2018, our founder and Executive Director, Marit Molin, learned that there were children who spent the summer in the back of their parents’ cars,” says HCO Program Manager Alyssa Bahel, “Waiting for them to be done with work, or they spent their summer in front of the TV by themselves.”
Molin is skilled at seeing needs like this and creating systems to address them. In 2018, the Hampton Art Camp allowed children to spend time learning and participating in art activities, with half attending free of charge.
Bahel says, “At the onset of COVID, we could not fundraise for the camp, because it was unknown if camp would take place that summer, so we started fundraising for food.”
This simple food delivery service grew to meet ever-increasing needs, and now HCO provides comprehensive support for many of the community’s most basic and critical needs. It also works to create opportunities that can fundamentally change life trajectories for its marginalized neighbors.
A Four-Fold Approach to Building Better Communities
To do this, HCO’s programs focus on four specific areas of community support. Its foundational food outreach program continues to deliver weekly groceries and fresh produce to families in marginalized communities. Now serving 400 families, it helps feed vulnerable children, seniors, and the area’s unhoused and underemployed. It’s also working to remove this need where possible.
“We are in the process of setting up a job training program,” says Bahel, “In order to help the homeless gain skills so that they can hold year-round jobs.”
A crisis care initiative provides financial assistance for urgent needs, such as medical treatments, unmet utility bills, and rent. HCO’s housing repair program has renovated 65 homes with critical infrastructure issues, such as toxic mold, broken windows, and poor heating. Another 48 homes are on a waiting list for repairs and updates.
Finally, HCO’s child-centered programs continue to provide summer art camps and have expanded to include academic tutoring, college counseling, swim lessons, and the provision of school supplies and other essential items.
Creating Change Worth Acclaim
HCO’s efforts help populations that are often overlooked by other support systems. Each program is designed to target specific challenges faced by those struggling with poverty, creating a real impact that can be felt right away. Area organizations have taken notice. Molion was named Suffolk County’s 2021 “Woman of Distinction,” and the “Above and Beyond” award from Land Rover came with a donated vehicle to help HCO’s efforts.
Individuals in the community also help HCO directly through financial donations, food collection drives at local businesses, fundraising events, and donations of clothing and other essential items. HCO’s community-building work is at its best when the community gets involved. Those looking to help or interested in learning more about HCO’s initiatives and goals should visit its social media or website to learn how to contribute.
