Peggy Jones Named Junior League of Boca Raton's Woman Volunteer of the Year!

Peggy Jones Named Junior League of Boca Raton's Woman Volunteer of the Year!

With hearts pounding and the anticipation hanging in the air, Ms. Jan Savarick of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and Mr. Dick Pollack, C.E.O. of the YMCA of Palm Beach County held the envelope containing the name of the winner of this year’s Woman Volunteer of the Year. Twenty-seven local charities had nominated a woman volunteer for consideration. When the name “Peggy Jones” was announced, a roar went up from the Boca Helping Hands tables! This year’s Junior League of Boca Raton Woman Volunteer of the Year Award Luncheon, sponsored by Boca Raton Regional Hospital was a particularly rewarding day for the Boca Helping Hands family.

Peggy Jones has been one of the pillars of BHH, joining the BHH family six years ago to create and administer the Job Mentor Program. As a volunteer, Peggy often works 40 hours a week, coming in every day to oversee the mentors and ensure that each client is getting the opportunity to find gainful employment. In January of 2013, with funding from The Jim Moran Foundation, The Salah Foundation and The Hagen Family Foundation, Peggy spear-headed the creation of Esperanza Catering at Boca Helping Hands…a job training program preparing BHH clients for careers in the local food service industry. During her tenure as volunteer Director of the Job Mentor Program, over 300 individuals have found gainful employment and begun the journey to break the cycle of dependence.

Throughout the Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon, attended by over 750 people, “Boca Helping Hands” volunteers kept popping up. Two other nominees had volunteered at Boca Helping Hands, and one, Nicole Richards (nominated by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton) is an integral part of the Rotaract Club that has been so instrumental in preparing the pantry bags each week for the West Boca Panty Program. In addition, young Ms. Richards, a student at PBSC has launched The Community Closet…a program that gets slightly used clothing to needy families in West Boca. It was truly a day to celebrate the incredible volunteers who make Boca Helping Hands the organization it is.

Peggy Jones has brought her incredible energy, talent and vision to the Boca Helping Hands Job Mentor Program. A retired school psychologist, she was uniquely qualified in experience as well as education to run the program when it began in 2008. Still the guiding force behind the Job Mentor Program, Peggy is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. It was a special treat for so many members of her family to be present to see her receive this long overdue recognition as one of Boca Raton’s leading community activists. With President of the Board Gary Peters and Vice President of the Board, Dr. Eric Shaw, along with the BHH staff present as well, Peggy was able to celebrate her recognition with her personal and professional family. For more information on Boca Helping Hands and the Job Mentor Program, contact James S. Gavrilos at gavrilos@bocahelpinghands.org.