Cape Cod Group Offers Free Legal Help to Women in Need

Women navigating divorce, job loss, or financial hardship on Cape Cod now have a lifeline that won't cost them a dime.

Women's Empowerment through Cape Area Networking (WE CAN) just opened its third location at the Falmouth Service Center, bringing free legal and financial help to four more Cape Cod towns. For 25 years, the organization has connected women in crisis with volunteer lawyers, financial planners, and mentors who guide them through life's toughest transitions.

The expansion fills a critical gap. Women in Falmouth, Bourne, Mashpee, and Sandwich previously faced barriers accessing the organization's services, which were only available in Harwich and Hyannis.

"These are the particular areas where women feel there are gaps in community services," said Executive Director Lisa Guyon. "A complexity of issues can run the gamut."

The new Falmouth location offers one-on-one consultations covering budget management, credit and debt advice, bankruptcy, and retirement planning. Volunteer lawyers provide expertise in family law, immigration, wills and estates, and employment law.

WE CAN also hosts skill-building workshops throughout the region. Upcoming classes include a family law overview and a session on managing budgets, credit, and debt.

The Ripple Effect

The organization's success comes from an unexpected strength of Cape Cod: its retiree population. Hundreds of volunteers with decades of professional experience donate their time to help women rebuild their lives.

"Many of them are looking for a place to work directly with the women we serve," Guyon said. About 600 volunteers now support the effort across all three locations.

The pandemic forced WE CAN to innovate quickly, shifting all services online when in-person meetings stopped. That experience taught the team new ways to reach women who couldn't travel to their offices.

Now the organization offers programs in Portuguese to serve more of the community. Their PathMaker mentoring program and GROW program for women entrepreneurs continue expanding alongside the legal and financial services.

The goal is simple: make sure every woman on Cape Cod knows there's a safe place to walk in and get help, no matter where she lives or what challenge she's facing.