Joan and Rob Tanner have supported Boca Helping Hands for 25 years, dating back to the late ‘90s when BHH was just a small soup kitchen operating out of a local church. When her three young children began attending school full-time, Joan found gaps in her schedule to volunteer. Going back and forth between volunteering with her church and Caring Kitchen in Delray, she wanted to find something closer to home in Boca.
Joan learned of Boca Helping Hands soon after it had gotten off the ground, at a time when the largest need was more volunteers. Joan took kitchen positions, preparing hot meals and performing regular kitchen upkeep. “It was tough sometimes; the kitchen was so small, and we hardly had anything to work with in the beginning,” she said. “When I see what BHH has grown into, it’s just so amazing.
Joan later went back to work full-time until she and Rob retired almost two years ago. Now, both Joan and Rob volunteer together, sorting and packing produce during the Wednesday morning shift.
“I get so excited when I walk in and see a large variety of produce in the morning,” Joan said. “It’s something we didn’t have often back then.”
Rob notes how nice it is to meet new people while volunteering - especially the FAU groups, as both he and Joan are alumni of the school. “It’s inspiring to see how the work you do really helps people,” he said. “It’s meaningful for us.”
Rob and Joan look forward to many more years volunteering with BHH. They are happy to contribute to their community and do something that is bigger than them.
