Boca Helping Hands Expands Food Distribution in Boynton Beach
Boca Raton, FL — Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is expanding its food distribution schedule in Boynton Beach as part of the organization’s hunger relief efforts in Palm Beach County.
Starting on March 2, BHH will be serving the Boynton Beach community five days a week through its drive-thru Pantry Bag Program. The program is open to qualifying Palm Beach County residents living at or below the poverty level as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Individuals enrolled in SNAP, TANF, or Medicare/Medicaid automatically qualify. Registration is completed in-person during their first visit to any of five distribution locations.
The Boynton Beach satellite food distribution is located at First Baptist Church of Boynton Beach, 301 N Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33435. Distribution occurs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 am – 12 pm and Wednesday from 1 pm – 2:30 pm. Pantry Bag Program clients receive non-perishable staples such as rice, pasta, and beans in addition to seasonal fresh produce and protein.
Pantry Bag Program client Patrice D. says the food helps supplement her family’s income. “There’s five of us in the family. It helps us with the food, and if my husband doesn’t have work, which he usually does, but sometimes he doesn’t have work.”
The Boynton Beach satellite distribution site first opened in November of 2017. Demand has steadily increased since then, growing from 355 pantry bags of groceries distributed in that first month to 1,549 bags distributed in January of 2022. Additional information on how to register for the Pantry Bag Program, hours, and distribution locations can be found on BHH’s website at BocaHelpingHands.org/PantryBagProgram.
In addition to receiving pantry bags of groceries, Boynton Beach residents are also eligible for emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, childcare, and healthcare vouchers for medical, dental, and behavioral care services for the uninsured. Requirements and additional information about how to apply for financial assistance can be found at BocaHelpingHands.org/ResourceCenter. Additional information for how to obtain healthcare vouchers can be found at BocaHelpingHands.org/Healthcare.
About Boca Helping Hands
Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is a community-based nonprofit that provides food, medical and financial assistance to meet basic human needs as well as education, job training and guidance to create self-sufficiency. Through its various programs, BHH assists over 27,000 people annually.
In 2021, BHH distributed more than 70,000 pantry bags from five Palm Beach County locations and served nearly 80,000 hot meals. The organization expands access to affordable medical, dental and behavioral care through its partnerships with Genesis Community Health (serving clients at clinics in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach) and Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Community Based Clinics (serving residents in West Palm Beach). In addition, BHH sends weekend meals home with food-insecure elementary school students via the BHH Backpacks Program and assists working families with the rising cost of childcare through the Children’s Assistance Program (CAP).
With an increased focus on client self-sufficiency, BHH awards scholarships for qualified candidates to attend accredited vocational training classes that prepare them for careers in the healthcare, information technology, construction, and transportation industries. BHH also offers free English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes, courses in nutrition, and other life skills. In addition, staff and volunteer mentors counsel the unemployed and underemployed in basic workplace skills and help them polish resumes and search for jobs.
Boca Helping Hands is a partner agency of The Town of Palm Beach United Way. Since 1945, the Town of Palm Beach United Way has been committed to improving lives and building strong communities throughout Palm Beach County by focusing on programs and priorities that promote education, health, and financial stability.
Charity Navigator named Boca Helping Hands a Four-Star Charity for the 15th consecutive year in June 2021. Boca Helping Hands is located at 1500 NW 1st Court, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, please visit BocaHelpingHands.org.
Charity Navigator named Boca Helping Hands a Four-Star Charity for the 15th consecutive year in June 2021. Boca Helping Hands is located at 1500 NW 1st Court, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, please visit BocaHelpingHands.org.
