What is CARE for the Cape & Islands

CARE for the Cape & Islands™ was founded in 2012 as the Cape and Islands’  first travelers’ philanthropy initiative.  More commonly known today as Impact Travel, CARE seeks to encourage, support, and create opportunities for visitors and residents to donate their “time, talent, and treasure” to help preserve and protect our region’s exquisite natural beauty, plant and wildlife habitats, Cape & Islands culture and history.

What is CARE’s Mission

CARE for the Cape & Islands™ mission is to inspire stewardship to preserve and protect the natural environment, cultural and historical treasures of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

Why Cape Cod and the Islands?

Cape Cod and the Islands’ scenic beauty and pristine coastline are enjoyed and appreciated by millions of visitors each year, presenting a need to protect its unique qualities.  This program will help sustain the region’s fragile ecosystem, culture and heritage that draw visitors and residents to vacation, work and live.

Ultimately, CARE for the Cape & Islands™ seeks to tap travelers’ growing interest in and support of eco-tourism and green-travel, and their philanthropic inclinations to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the Cape & Islands as a national treasure and travel destination.

How does it work?

CARE for the Cape & Islands educates and facilitates relationships among travelers, businesses, local organizations, environmental initiatives, and residents.  Working with local businesses, CARE creates opportunities to contribute to efforts to promote long-term environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation. Visit the various pages of the “What We Do” section of our website to learn more about our accomplishments. Visit “How to CARE” to find ways that you can get involved. Visit our project criteria page to learn about our funding themes and proposal guidelines. Download our CARE Profile.

Jill Talladay:

Jill received her Master in Tourism Administration with a concentration in Sustainable Destination Management from The George Washington University in 2011, earning the Dr. Philip Ogilvie Academic Excellence Award. In 2012 inspired by her work with the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) at the third  Travelers’ Philanthropy Conference in Costa Rica and her graduate internship; she founded CARE (Creating A Responsible Environment) for the Cape and Islands, to help connect visitors, residents and businesses with opportunities to support the long term sustainability of Cape Cod and the Islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

Jill is co-Chair of the Yarmouth Recycling and Solid Waste Committee and an advocate to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. She is passionate about using green practices and works hard to educate her friends as well as the public on simple steps they may take to make a difference on a daily basis. She became a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps in 2015, trained by Al Gore in Toronto, ON.

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Wes Espinosa:

Wes joined the CREST team in January 2021 as the Director of Development & Partnerships before taking on the Interim Executive Director Role. He is the former Director of the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, where he led project development, management, and reporting, as well as marketing, fundraising, and international engagement for 3 years.

Wes is a UC Berkeley graduate from Atlanta, Georgia / Los Angeles, CA. Following several years as a Tour & Event Director in the U.S and Australia, Wes moved to Quito, Ecuador where he worked as the Latin America Development Lead for Asylum Access, a nonprofit that provides legal services to the forcibly displaced. Here, he honed his skills in nonprofit fundraising, program implementation, and international development that led to his role as the Partnership Development Manager at Sustainable Travel International. He eventually found his way down to Chile as the Field Director for the Legacy Fund. In addition to his nonprofit work, he also ran a field campaign during the 2020 election cycles to register and turn-out thousands of Georgia voters. Wes is also on the Executive Committee of the Surfrider Foundation’s GA Chapter.

While his passion for outdoor recreation has fueled his efforts to implement protected area infrastructure and restoration projects, he is equally as passionate about mobilizing community tourism businesses to improve people’s lives and protect the environment. He looks forward to working with CREST’s team of responsible tourism experts and engaging with stakeholders across the tourism value chain to shift tourism policies and practices around the world.

Alix Collins, MPA

Dory Gedraitis :

“Hello! My name is Doria “Dory” Gedraitis, and I am a 22 year old born and raised in Massachusetts. I graduated in 2021 from the Wheaton College. I studied environmental science with a concentration in biology. I was a teaching assistant for an ecology class, and I got to spend a lot of time in and around the woods on campus for my classes and labs. I love getting outside, especially in the cranberry bogs behind my house.  Since graduating, I have found various jobs working and volunteering to help my community.  I am so excited to be joining AmeriCorps Cape Cod and to work with CARE!

Jim recently returned to living on the Cape from various teaching and administrative duties in higher education in New England and New York state. While living on the Cape previously, Jim was the founding Executive Director of the Zammer Hospitality Institute at Cape Cod Community College, as well as an active member of the faculty. Keeping his technical skills sharp, Jim also worked at local restaurants, including the Naked Oyster. 

Jim’s primary focus during his teaching career was on developing and nurturing both technical and critical thinking skills for his students. Here on Cape Cod, those critical thinking skills involved a natural intersection with sustainable business activities and the overwhelming importance of the economic impact of the hospitality industry 

Jim earned a BS from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.

Managing Partner for Wequassett Resort and Golf Club having held various positions such as CFO and General Manager for the Resort since 1986. Mark’s passion, vision and determination transformed the Wequassett into a world-class resort.   Over the years, every feature and amenity of the resort was renovated or refined. Mark established a unique service culture based on customer intimacy that helped to set the resort apart and developed an innovative training program that inspires his staff in all aspects of the hospitality business with a focus on personal service.  Most recently he has implemented a resort-wide sustainability initiative. He has also served on numerous boards and was recognized by the Massachusetts Lodging Association’s as Outstanding General Manager of the Year, and in 2003 Preferred Hotels nominated him as Hotelier of the Year.

Building on a foundation of thirty plus years of managing unprecedented growth and success at event firms in New England, Lorraine Janusas founded Eventful Connections with the goal of offering clients a quality experience every step of the way.  Using her proficiency to translate the big picture into a strategic step by step plan for achieving goals, Lorraine’s logistical expertise and intense client focus result in controlled costs and exceptional events. 

Personally involved in every project, Lorraine relishes the challenges and opportunities presented by her clients and each new event.  Confident in her abilities yet humble in her approach, Lorraine has earned an unparalleled reputation for exceptional attention to detail and the ability to always deliver while exceeding clients’ expectations. 

Naturally inquisitive, Lorraine greets each day as a chance to learn about new resources or possibilities that inspire her.  Described by a vendor partner as being “firm but fair,” Lorraine’s goal in each partnership is to form an alliance resulting in long term relationships.  Lorraine’s determination, ability to adapt, follow through, and tenacity are complemented by her sense of humor. 

Lorraine is a long-standing member of MPI (Meeting Professionals International) and a Past President of the Cape Cod Hospitality Marketing Association.

Communications Intern

The CARE Communications intern will provide assistance on a wide variety of nonprofit communications projects. Interns will have the opportunity to learn about nonprofit marketing, media relations, and content creation across all communications channels, including email, digital, and social media. The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic storyteller looking to gain experience in the nonprofit sector and contribute to an organization focused on sustainable development and management of tourism.

Intern responsibilities may include (subject to change):

• Developing content and analyzing metrics for social media
• Updating website content
• Assisting with drafting email communications
• Use Canva to create environmentally conscious social media posts
• Updating CARE’s contact list and tracking media mentions
• Visiting local businesses to help promote CARE programs
• Assisting with some administrative tasks 

Development Intern

The CARE Development intern will provide assistance on administrative projects, as well as provide general support when needed for CARE programming. The Intern will work with the development team to help archive and organize individual and grant files, assist with database clean up and management, assist with the creation of and distribution of development materials, provide support for the launch of and tracking of fundraising campaigns, and help promote all sponsorship opportunities.

Development Intern responsibilities may include (subject to change):

• Managing the Customer Relationship Management system
• Creating relevant data segments
• Participating in fundraising outreach (individuals, institutions…)
• Documenting fundraising-related information and interactions
• Suggesting creative ideas to maximize fundraising strategy effectiveness
• Researching and writing grant proposals
• Other tasks as assigned by the internship supervisor
• Developing partnerships with local government, businesses, NGO, and environmental groups

CARE is now accepting Communications & Development applications for the Summer period. Applicants for the Internship should submit a cover letter, resume, two references (name, position, and contact information-telephone number and email address), and required writing and/or creative samples below by Friday, April 21.

CARE is based in Cape Cod, MA, however, due to the impacts of COVID-19, we are accepting applications from candidates who are able to fully participate in the internship remotely and in person. To conduct remote work, interns must have reliable access to the Internet and be available for check-ins via phone or video conferencing.

As the internship is unpaid, preference will be given to students seeking academic credit. Graduate students are preferred, though consideration will be given to exceptional undergraduates. Interns are for a minimum of 15h/week (20 preferred) for two months minimum, primarily during business hours. The internship entails close collaboration with CARE’s board, staff and volunteers. Apply here.

CARE is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and equal employment opportunity for all without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Contact Information:

P.O. Box 638, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675

508-760-8187, jill@careforthecapeandislands.org.