Helping Hands needs a hand
High summer electric bills could lead to center’s closure
After more than 30 years giving a hand to those in need from the Porterville Community, today Helping Hands needs could use a hand themselves, and is asking the community for help to avoid closing their center.
Helping Hands is a non-profit organization that serves a hot lunch on the daily to the homeless or anyone in need.
“We need the community’s help,” said Jovi Halstrom, program director at Helping Hands. “The electric bill during the summer is so high, and it gets expensive trying to pay all of the bills, food, and for other needs we must provide for those who come.”
Halstrom said they are having to pay about 2,000 dollars a month for electricity on top of paying for gas, phone, food, utensils and insurance for the building.
“It’s a blessing to have this center, but it can be expensive during the summer,” said Halstrom. “Two thousand cuts into our budget quite a bit. We struggle during the summer with the electric bill.”
Recently the pastor from the church where Helping Hands is located granted permission for the center to become a community cooling center, which would qualify them for assistance from the electric company on their utility bill from April to September added Halstrom.
“We have community members donating and churches helping out, and I thank them for that, but we need more help,” said Halstrom. Halstrom hopes the
community helps with anything they can so they can keep on feeding and serving the homeless.
“We accept anything from the community. We accept monetary donations, food, plates, forks, spoons, napkins, cleaning supplies and hygiene essentials,” said Halstrom. “The center has to buy
all of that stuff every week, and if we could get some help so we can only focus on paying the bills it would be great.”
Helping Hands serves more than 100 people daily and also lacks volunteers to help cook, clean, and serve the food.
“Sometimes it's just the cook and I doing it all,” said Halstrom. “It can be tough.”
Halstrom currently manages the whole facility's operations with
the help of other personnel. She explained it is hard to do it all, since she is diagnosed with five brain tumors and has heart problems, but that doesn't stop her from helping those who depend on the center to be fed.
“If we close our doors due to lack of funding or donations, these people don't have somewhere else to go and eat. For some of them, it's their only meal,” said Halstrom. “You'll see crime
rise. If they don't have food available to them they will steal it. I'd hate to see them not have anything to eat. It would break my heart.”
Those at the center Wednesday morning said Halstrom has a big heart.
“I say I'm here with the purpose to help,” said Halstrom. “If I don't do it and feed the people, somebody has to do it. Somebody has to care.”
Michael Green and Terry Zagala, who were
eating lunch Wednesday afternoon at Helping Hands, expressed their concerns about the need the center is having.
“This center has been feeding me for quite some time already,” said Green. “I don't know what I would do without the center.”
Zagala has also been helped by the center for more than 20 years, and is saddened to hear Helping Hands is going through this situation.
“When I need clothing
I come here, and they also give me food and information that is good for me to know,” said Zagala as she finished her food. “The center and us — the people it benefits — need all the help possible. Please keep helping us.”
Helping Hands of Porterville is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Anyone who wishes to donate can call (559) 788-0812 or visit them at 135 E Olive Ave in Porterville.