First Time Coming to Helping Hand?

Here are some tips on what to bring with you, and what you can expect. Above all, the volunteers want to make this a comfortable meeting with you… one in which you will be listened to with a caring concern.

While we prefer, if possible, for you to call and set up an appointment, it is also fine if you just drop in. If we are already working with a client, you will be asked to wait in an adjacent room. Have a cup of coffee and relax. If you have children with you, toys are available for them to play with.

Please bring any pertinent paperwork with you: rental agreement, lease, mortgage papers; PSE or other utility bills; car repair estimates; whatever concerns your most immediate need.

We’ll sit down with you and see how we might be able to help. Please note that we are dependent upon donations, so our organization’s budget is rather small — less than $70,000 per year.

In order to serve as many of the people requesting our help, we try to limit financial assistance to $500 per household per calender year, except in rare situations.

We do not require clients to pay back grants, though some choose to do so. We simply ask that at some point, you ‘pay it forward’ by helping someone else.