New 5/21/20: WEST BOCA PANTRY DISTRIBUTION IS REOPENING! On Saturday, June 6, clients can continue visiting our West Boca location for Pantry Bag pickups via drive-thru service. We look forward to serving you! 

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 9-11AM

Located at Boca Glades Baptist Church: 10101 Judge Winikoff Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33428

Download a map of the premises here.

4/23/20: A new item has been added to the Food Drive shopping list in light of COVID-19: meats. All meat must be in the original retail packaging (no cuts wrapped in butcher paper, etc.) It must have the USDA label on it. Because these items are perishable, please be mindful of refrigeration. 

To view the entire COVID-19 Relief shopping list, please visit our Food Drives webpage.

VOLUNTEERING: We are in need of volunteers at this time as we are operating under modified procedures providing meals and pantry bags to our clients in a drive-thru operation to adhere to CDC recommendations for minimizing/eliminating crowd gatherings.  Additionally, our cleaning crew sanitizes nightly, we provide gloves, masks and hand sanitizer, and are scheduling our volunteers to ensure social distancing can be practiced.  

We ask that you refrain from volunteering if you are exhibiting any COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms or have traveled to any infected hotspots in the last few weeks.  

We currently have volunteering opportunities Monday-Saturday from 08:30AM-12:30PM at our main facility in both the warehouse and kitchen and at our Boynton Beach location at the First Baptist Church at 301 N. Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33435 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 09:30AM-12pm distributing pantry bags at the drive-thru operation. 

 If you are interested in volunteering with us, please fill out the online application and fill out our liability waiver, and our Volunteer Program Manager will be in touch as opportunities become available. 

At this time we are not conducting group orientation sessions due to COVID-19 restrictions for social distancing. In lieu of orientation, please view the orientation videos.

3/24/20: Food Drive drop-off times have been altered in order to reduce the exposure time of our staff and volunteers. If you have meats, produce, canned goods and other non-perishables to donate, please visit us Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00am to 2:30pm and on Saturdays from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

3/23/20: We have decided to limit our drive-thru hours in order to further reduce the exposure time of our staff and volunteers. Hot meals will continue to be distributed Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. There will be no Thursday night distribution in lieu of Thursday night dinners. Pantry bags will only be distributed Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM. There will be no afternoon distribution.

3/19/20: Unfortunately, we will not be able to implement our announced plans of implementing a drive-thru Pantry Bag operation at the West Boca distribution facility as of 3/21/20. Instead, like last Saturday, clients who would normally pick up pantry bags there should come to the main location in Boca Raton (1500 NW 1st Court Boca Raton, FL 33432) on Saturday from 9 am - 12:30 pm. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding during this time.

3/17/20: Due to our Resource Center being closed, all bus pass distributions will be suspended until further notice. If you or someone you know is in need of a bus pass, please contact Palm Tran directly for information regarding their distribution.

Boca Helping Hands considers the health and protection of all volunteers and employees a priority. 

We have reviewed the CDC’s website to better understand their recommendations in regards to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and have taken preventative measures to implement the current recommendations and will continue to monitor the situation as more information becomes available. 

We are performing enhanced routine cleaning. Frequently touched surfaces in our facilities are being cleaned with frequency using sanitizers. Hand sanitizer/disposable wipes have been placed around all areas. 

Proper respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene practices have been shared with employees, especially in the foodservice area. We are placing posters that encourage staying home when sick, observing proper coughing and sneezing etiquette, and promoting frequent hand washing throughout the various workstations on BHH property. We will continue to monitor for sick employees and volunteers and will ask them to return home immediately and to seek medical care.  

Following are some simple recommended prevention steps:

•    Please practice social distancing. No handshaking or hugging
•    Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand. Especially important on bathroom doors.
•    Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday).
•    If possible, cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. Remember the clothing on your elbow will contain an infectious virus that can be passed.
•    If you have experienced any Coronavirus or other cold or flu-like symptoms, please refrain from visiting any BHH facility to minimize the risk of spreading infection.

Employees are being asked to take certain steps if planning on traveling stateside or abroad. We are recommending all to check the CDC website on the latest recommendations for each state/country to which they may travel. We are asking employees and volunteers to check both before and after any travel to ascertain whether they may have any acute respiratory illnesses and to notify BHH management accordingly.  

We are grateful for all the support you provide to the work we do and we hope you join us in taking these recommended precautions in an effort to care for yourself as well as for our community.

In the interest of protecting the health of its clients, volunteers, and employees, and in light of the CDC recommendations on the avoidance of large public gatherings, Boca Helping Hands has announced temporary changes to its operations. All of these changes are in addition to enhanced routine cleaning of our facilities, practicing enhanced respiratory etiquette and hygiene, and making sure that any staff or volunteers with signs of illness remain at home. The following operational changes are intended to reduce the need for the congregation of people at our facilities.

Hot Meal Programs:
Effective Saturday, March 14, 2020, BHH’s Hot Lunch and Thursday Night Dinner clients will pick up a packaged meal to be eaten at home instead of having a sit-down meal at the Food Center, which will be closed until further notice. The packaged meal will be the same as they would have been served in the Food Center and can be picked up during the normal lunch/dinner times.

Pantry Bag Distribution:
Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, BHH’s Pantry Bag distribution at its main Boca Raton facility will become a drive-thru operation. During regular pantry bag hours, clients will receive their normally designated number of pantry bags in their vehicles. No entry to the building for pantry bag pick-up will be allowed. Similar changes will be implemented in West Boca, beginning on Saturday, May 6. In Boynton Beach, the operation is already drive-thru and no changes are planned for that distribution facility. 

Job Training and Resource Center Operations:
All Job Training classes, job mentoring sessions, and in-person financial assistance interviews will be temporarily suspended until further notice. We will, however, be facilitating screenings for financial emergencies and the Children’s Assistance Program (CAP) via telephone and email communications.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and compliance with these changes, which will be in effect until further notice. BHH is committed to maintaining the vital services we provide to our clients while being as responsive as possible to the current public health concerns.