By Dale M. King
BOCA NEWS CITY EDITOR

Thursday , February 1, 2007

It didn’t take long for Boca Helping Hands to find a new executive director.

The board of directors for the organization that provides food and financial assistance to the needy has announced that Linda Gove succeeds Joanne Szaja as the group’s top official.

Szaja, executive director for some five years, resigned in December. BHH board members said she was going to help her husband to grow his business.

Board president Dave Freudenberg had high praise for the new director. “She is energetic and dynamic. I believe she will be a wonderful asset.” Freudenberg also said Sally Wells has joined BHH on a part time basis to assist with event planning and fundraising. He said she was also a dynamic addition to the organization.

With more than 20 years of marketing experience, Gove has worked in private industry for companies such as Siemens, RBC Mortgage, and Equifax. A graduate of Florida Atlantic University, she began her career as a computer support tech; worked her way to marketing manager and held the position of vice president of marketing before moving over to work with nonprofits.

She has been active in the South Florida business, social, and charitable community for the past seven years, since returning to South Florida from Silicon Valley. She is affiliated with several community and professional organizations such as the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, and she volunteers for the George Snow Cowboy Ball, Michael Weppner Golf Tournament and Boca Respite events.

Boca Helping Hands is a resource center, created by local congregations, to provide hot meals for the hungry, groceries for poor families and job mentoring. It provides more than 27 tons of food annually. In addition, last year, more than 1,000 people received crisis assistance with utility bills, medication needs, shelter and transportation. The organization has only three paid staff members, a board of directors and 250 volunteers. Boca Helping Hands recently kicked off its drive to raise $1.4 million for a new headquarters. BHH just got $50,000 from the Boca Raton Rotary Club, said Gary Peters, chairman of the capital campaign. Helping Hands, he noted, needs to build a single facility to operate from – one that will house its cafeteria, food distribution and warehouse center, administrative offices and job assistance program.