Helping Hands

What is Helping Hands?

Helping Hands is a program that encourages member-to-member assistance, with the intent of helping members who have been caught in an emergency and need a little boost up. Often, but not always, facilitated by the administration, members pool together their resources to help someone in need. One person will generally coordinate the program for a member, gathering donations from other members interested in helping out. The coordinator is sometimes a member of administration or a close friend of the recipient. The recipient will usually be given actual goods, services, or gift cards instead of monetary assistance.

Who qualifies?

Any member in good standing qualifies for Helping Hands.

How does a member receive help from Helping Hands?

Any eligible member may apply for Helping Hands by sending an email to the Director of Philanthropy. If members know of another member who may benefit from Helping Hands, they may apply for that member by following the same procedure. The Director of Philanthropy will then review the application and determine if the member is eligible and would benefit from Helping Hands. If the assistance is approved, the Director of Philanthropy will then find an appropriate coordinator who will carry out the rest of the program.

How can I contribute to Helping Hands?

Helping Hands programs are generally not advertised publicly on the boards. Often, the recipients do not know that they will be receiving aid in this way, and not advertising helps to keep the secret. Generally, people find out about Helping Hands through word of mouth, or through solicitation in private Community Groups forums. If you would like to know if there are any Helping Hands programs currently being run, contact the Director of Philanthropy.

How involved is administration in Helping Hands efforts?

Helping Hands places an emphasis on members helping other members. While these programs usually go through the Director of Philanthropy, they are not coordinated nor run by the Department. In some cases, the Department of Philanthropy is not involved at all. An example would be an Ajah pooling together to help out a member in need. This would be considered Helping Hands, even though it did not go through the Director of Philanthropy for approval.

Except in unusual circumstances, money or other resources for Helping Hands do not come from the site itself, but rather from individual members willing to give for this special program.

What are some examples of Helping Hands in action?

Examples of members who have benefited from Helpings Hands include members who received donated presents to give to their children during the holidays, a member who received assistance in leaving an abusive relationship, a member who received a gift card for replacement furniture after losing possessions in Hurricane Katrina, and a member family that lived with another member for a time when they were otherwise without a home.

Questions on Helping Hands and our other Philanthropy activities can be sent to our Director of Philanthropy.