The Hamptons is celebrated for its extraordinary homes, but for social worker Marit Molin, founder of Hamptons Community Outreach (HCO), home often begins with something more fundamental: heat, working electricity, and a safe place for a child to sleep. “Many are unaware of the pockets of deeply impoverished people in the Hamptons,” says Molin. “Between the mansions there are families who can’t afford to put food on the table, children who walk around with shoes that are too small, and homeless men who live in the woods.”
Founded in 2018, HCO initially provided food assistance, crisis support, and children’s services. During food deliveries in 2020, Molin began encountering families living with black mold, collapsing ceilings, broken windows, and few resources to make their homes safe. “I realized we had to help,” she says.
Since 2021, HCO has renovated 70 homes, installed 25 heating systems, and built six new houses. Local builders, contractors, architects, designers, landscapers, and volunteers contribute valuable services, but the work also requires substantial financial support. HCO spends approximately $1.5 million annually on construction and home repairs, made possible by donor contributions. “Sometimes all it takes is one person or business willing to say ‘yes’ to help transform the daily life of a family that is struggling,” Molin says.
HCO renovated a home where an elderly couple was raising six children who slept on mattresses on the floor and relied on space heaters for warmth. Afterward, one child’s teacher noticed improvements in her health, focus, and participation at school. “It was a powerful reminder that changing a family’s living conditions can change so much more than their home,” Molin says.
“Preserving the Hamptons also means preserving the community of people who make it possible,” she adds. “If they are priced out, we lose an essential part of what makes the Hamptons the Hamptons.”
