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Helping Hands volunteers serve lunch to the needy on a Wednesday afternoon in March.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

INSET BELOW: James Gavrilos

By Steven J. Smith

    James Gavrilos, executive director of Boca Helping Hands, remembers how a devastating fire six years ago ultimately helped his organization better serve downtrodden families of Boca Raton.
    “In August of 2009 regrettably one of our clients who was on medication went off that medication, came back at night and burned our offices to the ground,” Gavrilos said. “Those offices were right around the corner, on West 16th Street, from our current facility. But we were operating in three different locations at that time. After the fire, we decided we would consolidate everything to this facility at 1500 NW First Court.”
    That move, he said, was made possible by donations from Arthur Remillard, who supplied the lead gift, and the Gary Peters Foundation.
    “Between those two funders and some fundraising that we did internally, we not only bought the building and refitted it, but within two years we had completely retired the debt of about $3.5 million,” Gavrilos said. “We are now in this building 100 percent debt-free.”
    Boca Helping Hands was founded in 1998 with the mission to provide food and emergency assistance to meet basic human needs and long-term solutions to break the cycle of dependence. The organization offers a host of services, including a job mentoring program, food distribution to needy families and a backpack program that provides weekend food for low-income families in nine local elementary schools.
    Shortly after moving into its new facility, the Remillard Family Resource Center, Boca Helping Hands distributed 7,000 bags of groceries to families living below the poverty line. Today — five years later — BHH distributes more than 66,000 bags of groceries a year.
    In addition, nearly 200 hot meals are prepared and served six days a week and twice on Thursdays. Since opening doors in 2010, volunteers and staff have served 227,853 meals, Gavrilos said.
    “But we want to make sure we’re not just feeding people today,” he said. “We want to help them get out of the food line. So if you really look at our programs, the overall goal is sustainability. We help our clients build a budget and then live on a budget. Our job mentor program helps them find work. We want to help them break the cycle of dependence.”
    The organization’s next goal is to open a medical clinic within the next six months.
    “It would be right here at our campus,” Gavrilos said.
    “The indigent and working poor have limited or in some cases no access to medical and dental care. We’re working with Genesis Community Health, a federally qualified health center in Delray Beach, who would provide those medical and dental services.
    “We will provide the facility and the funding. We’re a true community resource and not just for the homeless. Ninety percent of our clients are the working poor. If you’re struggling to get your bills paid and if you need an extra bag of groceries or need to get back on your feet, that’s what Boca Helping Hands is here for.”

For more information or to volunteer, call 417-0913 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.