Programs
Our philosophy is to provide quality of life programs for children and families that promote a positive connection to our community that will foster stability, growth, civic betterment, diversity, and opportunities to enhance their education. Our programs provide vital community links for other needed services to learn life skills after critical needs are met by other agencies. These positive experiences include children participating in educational, cultural, athletic and community enrichment programs funded by Helpful Hands, Inc.
Athletics Program
Everything is better when you can play sports – just ask any child who plays!
Little League teams, volleyball leagues, basketball, and swimming are just a few of the sports we have funded for children in our community. By engaging in team sports, children in crisis can enjoy physical activities in a safe environment away from the cares of life with a group of peers.
Community Partners:
• Oviedo Little League
• City of Oviedo Recreation & Parks R.O.C.K. Scholarship
• CHAPS Equine Assisted Therapy
• 1 Body Outreach
• Crossroads Corral
Your donation helps us provide funding for over 300 children from families in crisis to participate in organized team sports in our community.
A $50 donation will help support a child from a family in crisis play a team sport and learn healthy lifestyle skills in a safe environment.
Camp Program
Remember when you went to camp? All the fun? Making new friends? Learning new things?
Camp is a life changing experience and can provide a child a crisis with important life skills and social skills. Our camp program helps families in crisis with extreme financial hardship by providing the opportunity for children to attend Seminole County 4-H, Oviedo Police Department Camp, and City of Winter Springs Recreation and Parks Department Camp Sunshine.
Community Partners:
• UF/IFAS Seminole County 4H
• Oviedo PD Camp
• City of Winter Springs Recreation and Parks Department
Your donation helps us support over 200 needy children from families in crisis to attend a summer camp program.
A $50 donation will help provide a child from a family in crisis attend summer camp to learn life and social skills in safe environment.
Fine Arts
Who LOVES music? Our kids do! And they have talent…
Our unique program provides instruments, lessons, and camps, for children in crisis who are recognized for outstanding talent but lack the resources to cultivate their craft. Our Fine Arts Program balances social and life skills while focusing on important characteristics of respect, hard work, dedication, and being a team player. These characteristics are not only important for the arts, but for good students to excel in school.
Community Partners:
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Steinway Society of Central Florida
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The Music Box Foundation
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Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center
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Seminole County Public Schools.
Your donation helps us support over 750 children from families in crisis with funding for instruments, music lessons, and musical performance camps
A $50 donation will help provide a child from a family in crisis music lessons with materials in a safe environment.
Gifts of Reading
Bringing the joy of reading to children in our elementary schools
Helpful Hands, Inc. Gift of Reading Program is provided to promote early childhood literacy in elementary schools in our local community. Reading is a strong proficiency and predictor of high school graduation. Children who cannot read at grade level by third grade are four times less likely to graduate high school by age 19 than their reading proficient classmates. We currently fund the gift of reading program in K – 2nd grade.
Community Partner:
• Seminole County Public Schools
Your donation will help increase language and vocabulary skills for children enrolled in our schools.
A $45 donation will help provide a book for each student in one classroom.
Holiday Adopt-A-Child
Dear Santa, I have been good this year…
One of our most endearing programs to our Board of Directors and the community we serve is our Holiday-Adopt-a-Child. With our community partners, we provide a “Special Christmas” for the neediest of children and families. All of the gifts are very special, our Board Members follow each child’s “Dear Santa” letter. The Holiday Adopt-a-Child program is one way we strive to achieve our mission.
Community Partners:
• Boys Town of Central Florida
• Seminole County Public Schools
• Local Churches
Your donation will help our Board Members provide a “Special Christmas” for more than 155 children in crisis.
A $25 gift card donation will help a Board Member fulfill a need on a “Dear Santa” Letter for a child in crisis, their siblings, and their family.
Milestone Celebrations
Celebrations for Children in Crisis affected by Cancer
Our Milestone Celebration Program offers positive encouragement to children in crisis who are affected with cancer who reach milestones in their treatment. These include final chemo treatments, hair growth, birthdays and the best: remission. We FULLY FUND our community partner to make it possible to provide these quality of life celebrations.
Community Partner:
• BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Center Foundation
Your donation will help us provide quality of life moments for over 1,000 children and families in crisis affected by cancer every year.
A $50 donation will provide two children with cakes to celebrate milestones in their cancer treatment with family and friends.
Sunshine Dance
Everyone loves to dance!
Dance has been identified by the medical profession to aid in confidence, social skills, and creative expression for those with developmental concerns. These events host young adults with special needs and give them an evening of joy, dancing, and fun with friends in a safe surroundings. Our charity pays for the DJ for the Sunshine Dance for the entire year and supports the Special Needs Prom Night.
Community Partner(s):
• Oviedo-Winter Springs Optimist Club
Your donation helps us support over 75 special needs children from families in crisis attend the Sunshine Dance every month.
A $50 donation will help support a special needs child from a family in crisis attend the Special Needs Prom Night in a safe environment.
Teen Program
Remember how excited you were during senior year?
Through our Teen Program, we instill a sense of identity and purpose for teens from families in crisis during their senior year of high school. Homecoming, prom, graduation all provide experiences and memories that bring students together with their classmates. This rite of passage marks the transition into adulthood and mementos such as a yearbook, a class ring, cap and gown, prom tickets and graduation apparel, provide a reminder to young adults of who they are and where they come from.
Community Partners:
• Boys Town of Central Florida
• Seminole County Public Schools
• Local jewelers and graduation apparel providers
Your donation helps us support over 25 at-risk teens from families in crisis participate in senior year activities leading up to and including their high school graduation.
A $50 donation will help provide an at-risk teen from a family in crisis with mementos for their senior year in high school.
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”
― Walt Whitman