Inform Article

Helping the Boca you may not know: Boca Helping Hands

02.08.2010
Posted by Jillian Vukusich of Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties
A grant to Boca Helping Hands supported emergency food distribution to those in need in South Palm Beach County.

 

When you think of Boca Raton, what comes to mind? Mizner Park? Mansions by the Intracoastal waterway? Given Boca Raton’s reputation for wealth, what is less known are the needs of many residents who are struggling in this tough economy.

“The Boca Raton that most people don’t know is the Boca Raton that Boca Helping Hands services,” explains Linda Gove, Executive Director of Boca Helping Hands in this video. “It’s underserved families, unemployed, underemployed, and those that are just trying to get by week by week, paycheck to paycheck.” 

There is a drastic gap between extreme wealth and severe poverty in Boca. Boca Helping Hands reaches out to those in need, with food, financial assistance and job mentoring. 

Through the Safety Net Challenge and in collaboration with our partners, Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Children Services Council of Palm Beach County and Quantum Foundation, the Community Foundation is helping support Boca Helping Hands at a time when assistance is needed more than ever. Through the grant from the Safety Net Challenge, Boca Helping Hands was able to feed families through their hot meal pantry bag program, allowing the organization to  be able to handle the increase in the hot meal program, as well as for the seniors that are homebound.

“Boca Helping Hands has helped my family tremendously,” says Lisa, a woman who is receiving help from the organization. “I have two young children that have come to the family dinners and they loved it. And it just makes me feel good knowing that my children are helped. There are caring and loving people that really support and help focus on taking care of lives.”

“Families have come in that are hungry, they are being evicted; their lights are being turned off,” Linda shares. “Boca Helping Hands has services to not only provide food, but financial assistance and job mentoring. For those that are unemployed we can help them get back into the working world as well as helping people with their dignity and self-esteem.” 

For more on Boca Helping Hands, please visit their website.

For more on the Safety Net Challenge please visit the Community Foundation’s website.

Special thanks to Community Foundation intern Alex Yanchura for her work in preparing this story and Stephen Leek Photography for producing this video.