Gosnold, Massachusetts
Community Organizations
In a town of seventy, community life runs through a short list of shared institutions and the town’s own volunteer boards, not a large nonprofit sector. The library and the ferry that connects the islands to the mainland do much of the work that a bigger town spreads across dozens of organizations.
Community Anchors
| Organization | What they do & contact |
|---|---|
| Gosnold Library | The island’s library on Cuttyhunk: books, programs, and a children’s story hour, run by Librarian Dorothy Garfield with three trustees the town elects. A card here works at libraries across Massachusetts. 508-990-7408. |
| Cuttyhunk Ferry Company | The town’s link to the mainland: year-round passenger and freight ferry service between the state pier in New Bedford and Cuttyhunk. Reservations by phone at 508-992-0200. |
Much of what a nonprofit does elsewhere is carried in Gosnold by the town’s own elected boards, from the Library trustees to the Harbor Management and Conservation commissions. To take part, you volunteer for a board or run for a seat.
How to Plug In
- Volunteer for a board. The Selectboard appoints residents to many town committees, and in a town this small a single volunteer can shape a whole board’s work.
- Run for a seat. Take out nomination papers with the Town Clerk and put your name on the spring ballot.
- Use the library. It is the island’s shared room for programs, information, and a public computer.
- Find the fuller list. The town’s Community pages at gosnold-ma.gov collect island resources and services.