Boca Helping Hands Inc.

“Gary peters and gregory peters are related (father and son) and both serve on the board.”

“The members of the board of directors are provided with form 990 prior to filing. The organization's independent auditor reviews form 990 prior to filing.”

“The organization monitors compliance with its conflict of interest policy by requiring annual conflict of interest policy statements to be submitted and by reviewing all potential conflict of interest transactions.”

“The organization's process for determining compensation of its executive director included, at the time of hiring, a review by a special committee of the board of directors of compensation of similar officers and positions in comparable charitable organizations, and a background check on the candidates presented to the board of directors for approval. The candidates were comprehensively interviewed by the committee. The process also allowed for the opportunity for each member of the board of directors to interview each candidate. The executive director and his compensation were approved at a full board of directors meeting and subsequent increases to his compensation are also approved by the members of the board of directors.”

“The organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy and audited financial statements available to the public upon reasonable request. The audited financial statements are also available on the organization's website.”

“The Organization operates a food center, with programs that were converted to drive-through services during the pandemic to eliminate contact. In the food center, volunteers cook and serve seven hot, nutritious meals weekly to those experiencing food insecurity in the community (lunches from Monday through Saturday in East Boca Raton and a Friday night dinner in Lake Worth). Volunteers also deliver hot meals to homebound clients. Staff and volunteers also distribute pantry bags containing food staples (meat, fruit, produce, dairy, bread and other food items) to eligible low-income individuals and families from Monday through Saturday in East Boca Raton and at select times weekly in West Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and Lake Worth. Eligibility, affirming status at or below the federal poverty level as required under the USDA's TEFAP program, is monitored very closely. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Organization prepared and distributed approximately 79,000 hot meals, delivering approximately 4,000 meals to the homebound. The Organization also distributed approximately 72,000 pantry bags of food to clients who were primarily comprised of the working poor or retired, disabled and unemployed individuals. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Organization prepared and distributed approximately 89,000 hot meals, delivering approximately 6,000 meals to the homebound. The Organization also distributed approximately 79,000 pantry bags of food to clients who were primarily comprised of the working poor or retired, disabled and unemployed individuals (many whom were out of work due to COVID-19). During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Organization received approximately 2,793,000 and 3,127,000 pounds, respectively, of food from food banks, supermarkets, restaurants, individuals, businesses, schools, governmental agencies and other organizations.”

“BHH's Job Training Program recruits and screens eligible clients and covers the costs of job readiness training, vocational training and certification for those admitted to the program. The BHH Job Training Program allows the applicants to choose from a variety of training programs, including Commercial Driver's License; Home Health Aide; Certified Nursing Assistant; Medical Billing and Coding; Customer Service; IT Help Desk Technician; Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; Drafting; and Carpentry (see descriptions below). Commercial Driver's License (CDL): The Organization has partnered with The CDL School in Lake Worth and Miami and the Metropolitan Trucking and Technical Institute in West Palm Beach to train students to earn a Class A Commercial Driver's License. Students must begin the program already having their temporary permit and then complete required tests and forty hours of vehicle driving training. Graduates work with these schools and the Organization's job mentors to pursue job opportunities. Home Health Aide (HHA): The Organization has worked in partnership with the Family Care Training Center in West Palm Beach to prepare students to work in the home healthcare industry. The Organization pays the tuition and related costs to complete their training curriculum. Graduates work with the Organization's job mentors to pursue job opportunities with local home healthcare agencies. Those students who demonstrate superior dedication and commitment are encouraged to pursue an advanced class leading to certification as Certified Nursing Assistants, which generally leads to higher wages as well as greater opportunities for employment and advancement. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): The Organization has partnered with the Family Care Training Center in West Palm Beach and Medical Institute of Palm Beach in Greenacres to prepare students to work in the home healthcare industry. The Organization has paid the tuition and related costs to complete their training curriculum, which includes hands-on training and clinical experience. Upon completion, students take Florida's Board of Nursing (Prometric) Nurse Aide Exam to obtain their certification. Graduates work with the Organization's job mentors to pursue job opportunities with local home healthcare agencies and hospitals. Medical Billing and Coding (MBC): The Organization contracted a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) instructor to train students to work in the rapidly growing healthcare field. Students learn the curriculum for nine months and then prepare to take their CPC Certification. Graduates work with the Organization's job mentors to pursue job opportunities that can include working at health systems and hospitals, physician offices and ambulatory surgery centers, amongst many others. As many as one-third of coders are able to work remotely. Customer Service Representative: The Organization partners with Call4Health, a medical healthcare call center in Delray Beach, to train and place students in jobs in the rapidly growing call center industry. Students are able to obtain a job as a Patient Care Representative in as little as 2-3 weeks. IT Help Desk Technician: The Organization has partnered with The Academy to prepare students to work as Computer Service Technicians, providing the necessary training for graduates to earn CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications. Students attend weekly classes over a ten-week period and graduates work with The Academy and BHH job mentors to pursue job opportunities. Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC): The Organization partners with Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth to train students as technicians in this high-demand field, which supports a wide range of commercial and residential clients. Students complete a 12-month, instructor-led program at PBSC during which they earn their National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) HVAC/R Levels 1 & 2 credentials, North”

“The Organization administers Boca Helping Hands Backpacks, which addresses the critical problem of what low-income children in "Title 1" schools (whose primary weekday meals are free school breakfast and free or reduced-cost school lunch) eat over the weekend. Each Friday during the school year, the Organization sends hundreds of local elementary school children home with six meals, three snacks, two shelf-stable milks and two juice boxes in boxes for the weekend. There are currently twelve participating schools, with more anticipated to join the program. The Organization purchases the food, faith and community volunteer groups pack the boxes, and then the boxes are delivered to each of the schools on a weekly basis during the academic school year. The specific food items cost $10.59 per child/per week. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Organization incurred approximately $438,000 and $137,000, respectively, in expenses related to food purchases in connection with this program.”

“Through its Resource Center, Boca Helping Hands provides limited financial assistance to qualifying Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth residents in crisis. Clients may receive limited, emergency financial assistance aid with rent (must have a 3-day notice from landlord) and utilities (must have a final notice from FPL or the local water utility). Assistance amounts for families are limited for a twelve-month period and situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Not all clients qualify nor are funds available to assist every qualified applicant. Clients must go through a screening process to meet criteria to be approved. All financial assistance provided by the Organization for these crisis situations is paid directly to the landlords, utility companies and similar enterprises only. At the Lake Worth location, the Organization partners with the Palm Beach County Food Bank to register clients for SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid by appointment. Children's Assistance Program (CAP): CAP helps full-time (40 hours or more) working parents and full-time-student parents by providing limited financial assistance for summer camp, after-school care, and day care for qualifying Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth residents of one year or longer. Those interested in applying for CAP must go through a specific screening process and meet criteria to be approved. Affordable Healthcare Access: BHH and Genesis Community Health Center, Inc. (Genesis), a Florida not-for-profit healthcare organization, have established collaboration agreements whereby Genesis is providing healthcare services (medical, dental and behavioral) to BHH clients and others. These services include primary care for families, lab services, HIV Rapid Testing, physical examinations for work and school, health benefits counseling, dental services, behavioral care services and more. In 2021, the organization further expanded access to affordable medical and behavioral care through a new partnership with Florida Atlantic University's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Community Based Clinics (serving residents in West Palm Beach). English for Speakers of Other Languages: Boca Helping Hands volunteer instructors facilitate English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes so that clients can learn English and strengthen their speaking and listening skills. Conversation Caf gives ESOL students the chance to practice having casual English conversations with volunteers and other students. Survival English is an immersive online course with additional interaction between students and the instructor. All ESOL courses continue to be conducted virtually since 2020. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Organization's Resource Center provided approximately $136,000 and $67,000, respectively, in financial assistance for crisis situations and the Children's Assistance Program of which approximately $59,000 and $14,000, respectively, were used in funding to make healthcare access more affordable.”