Helping Hands
24360 Beck Road Hollywood, Maryland 20636

(301) 373- 6990 (no answering machine)

Hours: M-W-F 10:00AM - 1:00PM

Mailing Address: Helping Hands PO Box 1658 Leonardtown, Maryland 20650

Helping Hands is an all-volunteer, non-profit, organization formed in 1991 to meet the needs of the less fortunate in our community. St. John's collects non-perishable food items and personal hygiene items for Helping Hands every third Sunday of each month. Cash or food certificates are also acceptable. Presently, we focus on food assistance, although in dire circumstances we assist with medical prescriptions, and monies for other needs. Money contributions come form many areas of the county. Food drives come from several churches and some organizations, mostly in the Hollywood, Leonardtown, and Mechanicsville districts. We participate in the Government food commodities program which supplies food products several times a year.

A person who seeks assistance should come to the pantry located next to St. John's Pharmacy on Beck Road in Hollywood during regular hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10:00 and 1:00. We do ask for some indication of need: Social Services recommendation; an Independence Card holder (old food stamp program); medical assistance program provided by the county or state; unemployed; disability; or low income. No one is turned down. An application is completed and goes into our file where each visit is recorded. They are eligible for assistance once a month until they get on their feet.

One or two meetings are held each year at the pantry for volunteers and the small board of directors. Rose Slade is president and founding member. She sets the meetings when needed. The treasurer, a St. John's parishioner; keeps her informed of the donations and the expenditures, mostly for food purchases and utilities.

The pantry (house) is owned by the husband of a former St. John's parishioner (now deceased). Volunteers presently represent several Catholic Churches and Hollywood Methodist Church. Volunteers contribute in several ways: some work a certain day of the week each month; some work one day a month; some assist in picking up government food when it is available in Calvert County; and some transport the food collections from local churches or civic organizations to the pantry. The volunteers who man the pantry on regular working days pick up "freebies" (day old breads, pastries, etc.) from stores that donate them; stock shelves; fill out applications; file paper work; write thank-yous; answer the phone and pack groceries for the clients, plus routine housekeeping needs.

Contacts about general information could be made during office hours either in person or by calling (301) 373-6990