Helping Hands kicks off campaign, bids farewell to Events Director

HH-DSC_0885 — From left: New Helping Hands of Rockwall County President and CEO Jon Bailey, Events and Volunteer Director Kay Dutta, and Development Director Melody Hail welcome guests to the agency's 2015 Annual Campaign kickoff. Attendees also bid farewell to Kay who is retiring after more than 10 years of service with Helping Hands. Photo by Austin Wells.

Good Friday. Good Cause.

(ROCKWALL COUNTY, TX – April 3, 2015) Rockwall County Helping Hands celebrated Good Friday with a good cause as it kicked off its 2015 Annual Campaign by inviting locals to come meet its new CEO and learn how to become a part of the agency’s “neighbors helping neighbors” philosophy. The event took place inside the agency’s own community garden outside its facility at 950 Williams St.

hh-DSC_0874 — Photo by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.

The agency introduced its new president and CEO, Jon Bailey, who helped begin the annual campaign with a message relaying the strong growth still ahead for the county, and what the current 17 percent federal poverty level of Rockwall means for Helping Hands moving forward into 2015.

“It comes with a great opportunity for Helping Hands, but it also comes with a great need for the community,” Bailey said. “We’re trying to position ourselves to be able to take on that need. The annual campaign is just one step in that journey. We’re also doing a capital campaign where we’re trying to expand the walls of our facility and be able to accommodate that growth as it comes.”

Guests also had the opportunity to bid a special farewell to longtime Events and Volunteer Director Kay Dutta, who is retiring after 10+ years with the agency at the end of the month.

Helping Hands hopes to build on a stellar 2014 in which it helped provide financial aid and food to more than 3,400 Rockwall residents, more than 25,000 bags of groceries from its Food Pantry, and administered more than 1,200 vaccines to adults and children. The agency also distributed three new toys each to 1,184 children in close to 500 families and ensured over 250 families were provided with Thanksgiving Baskets.

To learn more about the agency or to make a donation, visit rockwallhelpinghands.com.

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News reporter.