At 8 a.m. on Monday, June 30, 38,000 pounds of canned food will be delivered to Boca Helping Hands (BHH). Without community support, it could be the final delivery of the year.
The local nonprofit, which assists nearly 35,000 food-insecure people annually, is facing an unprecedented crisis following a $1 billion cut to federal food assistance programs by the Trump administration, the “summer slump” of donors returning north for the season, and rising food costs. This perfect storm of factors has “reduced the amount of food Boca Helping Hands has received over the past few months to a trickle,” BHH Executive Director Dr. Andrew Hagen said in a press release.
The June 30 delivery was purchased with the nonprofit’s last $40,000, which was provided by local donors. It represents the last of BHH’s budget for the year, and only six days of food for its clients. Hagen and BHH Food Program Manager Bill Harper hope they can stretch the supplies out to a month.
“This food isn’t going to last long. We’ll have distributed all the food we received fairly soon and will need the community’s help. This is an unusual circumstance because our normal food sources have dried up,” says Hagen.
To help raise additional funds, BHH has launched its Feeding Hope Summer Support-A-Thon for the community to donate funds and food. Donations can be dropped at 1500 N.W. First Court in Boca Raton. Local nonprofit Hands On Tzedakah will match funds donated up to $25,000.
“People know that this is a tough time for seniors, families with children and the working poor,” Hagen says “Our generous donors have made it possible to step up this time to the tune of $40,000. But every donation, every can counts.”
To donate food, reach out to Bill Harper at bill@bocahelpinghands.org or call 561/417-0913.
