ROCKWALL — Summer is a tough season for food banks and pantries as people tend to focus more on vacations than donations, and the number of food drives held decreases. Local charity organization Helping Hands is no exception.

Sherry Hamm, director of assistance and referral for Helping Hands, said that there is not enough supply to meet their growing demand.

“Summer is always the hardest time for us,” she said. “During the school year, a lot of the local schools and churches do food drives for us, but we don’t get that as much during the summer months because people aren’t as involved in those activities as much as they are the rest of the year. Unfortunately, summer also means that children who normally receive free or reduced meals at their school are at home full time with their parents, and so there is much more of a need [for food] this time of year, as well.”

On average, Helping Hands gives away 80 to 90 grocery bags of food per day, but Hamm said that their recent lack of resources during the dry season has hindered what the organization can do.

“Because we’ve been so low, we haven’t been able to give as much food to the people who need it, and what we can give are things like corn and green beans,” she said. “There isn’t much variety there and those foods don’t provide much protein. When we don’t have it, we can’t give it.”

According to Director of Assistance Melody Hail, people are encouraged to assist the organization in other ways when they can because of fewer food drives.

“We always have opportunities to for the people of the community to help out,” she said. “People can stop by our office at any time to donate food, clothes, or whatever they can. Even the cash donations that we get in can be allocated to purchase items that we may be short on, such as food. And we always have a need for volunteers.”

Due to an overabundance of canned vegetables, potential donors are encouraged to donate foods higher in protein and carbohydrates, such as canned meats and fruit, boxed pasta and instant dinners like Hamburger Helper, rice, and beans.

“The only food that we can’t accept are foods past their expiration dates, have been previously opened, or are self-preserved or personally canned in any way,” Hail said. “They have to be professionally packaged. We do, however, accept fresh produce out of gardens and that is always really helpful.”

Open since 1976, Helping Hands is a locally-funded, non-profit organization that provides short-term emergency assistance for people in dire situations.

“We strive to keep the roof overhead, food on the table, and the lights on,” Hail said. “Unfortunately, there is a new definition of ‘poor’ out there. The people who come to us are generally ones who have experienced an unexpected crisis, such as the loss of a job or spouse, or maybe a medical crisis. Helping Hands is here to hopefully help alleviate some of the financial burden which those people in the most extreme situations are going through. We’re here as a last resort.”

To assure that resources are being donated to those truly in need, anyone seeking assistance must first go through a screening process and interview.

“When people come here for emergency assistance, there is a very structured process in place so that the system does not get abused,” Hail said.

Hamm said the main benefit of Helping Hands is the immediate relief their organization can provide.

“The government programs take awhile to apply, wait for their appointments, and to get the assistance,” Hamm said. “When people come in here they know when they leave what we can do to help them. If someone comes in and has no money for groceries, then as long as we have it they leave with food in their hands, whereas it could take months to receive the benefits of SNAP, the government’s food stamp program. We can fill in the gap until people can get back on their feet, or, if they have to, can get on government assistance.”

In 2011 Helping Hands provided emergency assistance in the form of food, shelter and utility bill payments, clothes, and needed household goods to over 4,000 Rockwall County residents.



More information on how to donate or volunteer can be found on Helping Hand’s website www.rockwallhelpinghands.com.