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When we were growing up, we had friends that cared about the same things that we did and happened to live near enough for it to matter.

Helping Hand House turned 26 this year – 26 years of growing up in east Pierce County. Life is a lot bigger and more complicated than it was in the early days. But we have amazing friends, so many of whom have been with us through thick and thin over the last decades of economic ups and downs in Pierce County.

Some of our friends

We have friends like the Puyallup Valley Quilters (PVQ) – one of several quilting groups who provide a beautiful handmade quilt to every member of every family who comes into one of our housing programs. Whether a person is 4 or 54, there’s nothing like a warm quilt made with care and a little message attached to the corner: “Made with love just for you by the Puyallup Valley Quilters.” It’s one of the touches that help our families understand how much we honor them and want to see them succeed – and it wouldn’t be possible without friends like the Puyallup Valley Quilters. “I think Helping Hand House does wonderful work in our community,” says Patty deCamp, a longtime friend of HHH and PVQ member. “Our members enjoy gathering to make these quilts that they know will be on each family member’s bed when they first move in after being homeless.  Those of us who have attended the breakfasts and open houses have been very touched by the stories of homelessness to hope and want to continue to help in additional ways.”

Then there’s the South Hill Rotary, who purchased a duplex over 13 years ago to house homeless families with children. Their investment so many years ago has provided a home to nearly 115 families who would otherwise be living in a car or tent, their children cold at night and hungry on the way to school. They’ve heard the stories and seen the difference that they have made – so much so that they are in the midst of purchasing a second duplex, providing the means and opportunity to help even more families.

Then there are the countless groups of friends from businesses, churches, and community groups who do yard projects, provide extravagantly for families over the holidays, bake birthday cakes, paint homes, wrap gifts, host food and supply drives (and so much more…). It is the Key Bank‘s and Milgard’s of the world – employees giving selflessly with fantastic attitudes in project after project. Milgard even ‘adopted’ all the kids who have birthdays in July.

Insert your name here – for the times you stepped up when the need was great and you had a hand to give. It is people like you that make hope and safety possible when every option looks bleak and it is raining again.

None of what we do could be done without our friends – the volunteers and partners that give themselves away day after day or a weekend a year. It’s a labor of love to serve families in crisis, and a joy to do it together with you.

From all your friends at Helping Hand House, thank you.

- 115 birthday cakes were donated ($1,150 at $10.00 per cake)
- 1,102 total volunteer hours
- 150 volunteers throughout the year
- 13 group yard projects were completed
- 38 volunteers volunteered on an ongoing basis (birthday cakes, birthday gifts, roberts cleaning, etc.)
- 151 quilts received ($13,090)
- Supply drive donations (toilet paper, paper towels, toys, books, etc) ($4,118)
- 2 cars donated ($2,575)
- Holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Back to School) ($56,839)
- Household furnishings (includes furniture and other household items) ($8,943)

And this total doesn’t even include the use of a duplex, donated every year by the South Hill Rotary, and other donated units across Pierce County.

Isn’t that amazing?? Thank you to each and every one of you that contributed to our families this year – this is $113,616 worth of assistance that went directly to serving some of the neediest families in our community. Kudos! You do it well, Pierce County!

Tacoma, WA, November 12, 2009 –When Milgard Windows & Doors presented an $8,334 grant to Helping Hand House, the Tacoma-based building products manufacturer brought to life the phrase “lending a hand to a neighbor in need.” Helping Hand house is one of three non-profit agencies sharing a $25,000 grant directed by Milgard from the Masco Corporation Foundation, the charitable arm of Milgard’s parent company, Masco. Other beneficiaries include Simi Valley Samaritan Center, Simi Valley, California, and A New Leaf, Mesa, Arizona.

http://www.pr.com/press-release/192305

“Helping Hand House is dedicated to preventing and ending family homelessness right here in Pierce County, a cause particularly relevant in today’s economic environment,” said Milgard President, Gary Gessel. “The organization is the embodiment of the kind of community-based organization Milgard and its parent company, Masco, support through the Masco Corporation Foundation and our own community action team activities.”

“We’re very grateful for this grant from Milgard,” said Nola Renz, executive director of Helping Hand House. “We’ve seen the need for our utility assistance, and transitional, emergency and permanent supportive housing assistance programs quadruple in the last 18 months. Milgard’s gift is a tremendous help as foreclosures on homes and even multi-family apartment buildings in Pierce County have risen to record levels.”

Recipients of the grants were identified in a survey of company employees to determine which non-profit organizations were most responsive to the hunger and homelessness needs in their own communities. The gift continues a long tradition of community support by Milgard family members, Milgard Windows & Doors and the Masco Foundation.

In addition to such corporate gifts, Milgard Matching Gift Community Action Team volunteers participate in community events, fundraising and community improvement activities through volunteerism and monetary donations. More than 80% of Milgard’s Tacoma area employees live in Pierce County, Washington. In 2008, Milgard employees gave more than $86,000 in donations and over 8,000 hours in community service to organizations in the county.
Milgard matches employee donations and provides additional incentive for employee volunteerism by doubling the size of the matching donation when the employee has donated 50 or more hours of time to the same organization in the past 12 months.

Click here to RSVP, and we hope to see you January 16!