A line starts to form around 11
a.m. outside the small white building next door to the Friendship
Missionary Baptist Church in east Boca Raton.
Vince is among the first to arrive.
He's a welder by trade, but diabetes has taken a toll on his
health. Unemployed and living in a tent in the woods, Vince turned
to Boca Helping Hands about six months ago.
He comes for a hot meal and to use the phone. He's trying to track
down his son, who he believes is living in Massachusetts.
"This program has kept me alive and gives me hope every day
knowing I will have something for lunch, a hot meal, bread to take
home, a telephone to use," he said.
Vince scheduled an appointment for next week to take advantage of
the agency's job mentoring program.
He is one of the 100 or so working poor and homeless who come five
days each week to the agency's kitchen, where a small contingent
of volunteers puts on quite a spread.
Dozens of loaves of bread, there for the taking, fill long
cafeteria-style tables.
Behind them, boxes of pastries, chocolate layer cake and muffins
are the day's special sweet treats.
A few feet away the smell of ribs and beans wafts from the small
kitchen. Cups of fruit and salad round out the meal.
"We are the best-kept secret in Boca," said Linda Gove, executive
director of the 8-year-old nonprofit.
The agency operates out of two buildings. The food is served just
west of Federal Highway and north of Glades Road. About a
half-mile to the northwest is the main office, assistance center
and an 800-square-foot pantry where much of the food is stored.
It's not an efficient way to do business, said David Freudenberg,
president of the board of directors. Having all of the agency's
services under one roof is the goal, but it's been a tough one to
reach.
Total revenues were $227,713 last year. That doesn't include the
food donations, which totaled more than $350,000. The agency
relies heavily on donations from businesses, congregations and
schools.
Anonymous donor lifts hope
Three years ago, Boca Helping Hands kicked off a $2 million
capital campaign for a new home. The board raised about $100,000
the first year; then another $100,000. At that rate, it didn't
look good. Then a couple of months ago a man came forward.
He didn't want his name on the building. He doesn't want anyone to
know who he is. He simply checked out the agency, approved of what
it was doing and handed over $750,000 toward the capital campaign.
"Obviously he's not from Boca," joked Freudenberg, a former city
councilman and a Realtor. "We don't do things that way. We put the
names on buildings, we have parades and everything else."
With a little more than $1'million in the bank, the next step is
to come up with a building plan and a site.
"We are shaking every tree we can looking for another coconut to
fall and show us where to be," Freudenberg said.
But the options are limited. Land is scarce, and what is available
comes with a big price tag. The agency wants to stay as close to
its clients as possible. Most live up and down Dixie Highway in
Boca Raton, though there are a few pockets farther west.
The agency has looked to partner with other nonprofits but has not
had much luck.
"We have a building committee," Gove said. "It may be that we get
city land, or we may have to buy land."
Gove has created a map with push pins showing where clients live.
She started putting one in for each but quickly realized how many
there were and opted to color-code the pins to show clusters
instead of individuals.
Gathering volunteers
Carolyn Jones, a founding member and volunteer, said in the early
days they had to hit the streets looking for people to help.
"We had maybe 10 or 20 in the beginning," Jones said.
But the numbers quickly multiplied.
"I have people who know what I have been doing all of these years,
and they still say, 'Poor and homeless in Boca?''" Jones said, to
which she responds, "Yes!"
The stories of those who come for help are similar. Bad health
leads to a job lost, which leads to homelessness.
Daisy, who came from New York, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The chemotherapy and radiation made it impossible for her to work,
so she moved to Boca Raton to live with her brother.
She's been coming to Boca Helping Hands for about a month and a
half.
"At least it puts food on my table," she said.
June, a spry 81-year-old, lives in Boca. She subsists on Social
Security and Medicaid, but an incurable lung disease is taking its
toll. She comes twice a month to stock up on groceries.
Diane, a 74-year-old from Boca, has been coming on and off for six
months. Her Social Security check is just enough to pay the rent.
"I wouldn't be able to eat properly if I didn't come here," she
said.
In addition to its capital campaign, the agency has created a
marketing plan to let others know what it does.
"We have amazing donors," Gove said, "but we can have more, and
then we can service more people."