Helping Hands Of Cass County Inc

Helping Hands Food Pantry. About 3,600 families and/or individuals received food pantry services during the year. A pantry manager was hired for the first time this year to adopt a more relational approach and provide information on services available. The pantry space expanded so users could select a greater variety of food products. Pantry use was up nearly 60% compared to 2023. Helping Hands is involved with other food programs as follows: Feeding America Truck (reaching 1,938 families), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (reaching 331 families), and Senior Commodities (reaching 652 families). Helping Hands is also involved with the Bread of Life Charity Program.

Norma Frank Trust Outreach Program. Approximately 2,225 children received services or support this year. Hygiene products were given to 555 students. Clothing and other essential items for 1,229 students. Baby hygiene supplies and diapers were provided to 217 infants. Five Star Life programs 112 foster and kinship children. Sam Adams Elementary tutoring program reached 36 children. The program also provided Head Start birth certificate support. Overall, the Norma Frank Trust assisted with meeting basic needs for children in 23 schools in Cass County.

Excess donations of clothing and household items were shared with area nonprofits to reach countless people. Helping Hands directly assisted 50 individuals with transportation vouchers, 57 families with utility emergencies, 268 people received clothing, 19 people received household items, and 6 people received medical assistance.