Helping Hands of Florida Keys

06/04/2026

Thankful Thursday is always our favorite day! 💙

This week, we're giving a special thank you to Preceptor Gamma for inviting us to speak about our mission and for their incredible support.

Their generous donation is helping children attend summer camp this year! We know how expensive these extra costs can be for families, and we're so grateful to be able to help make these opportunities possible.

Thank you, Preceptor Gamma, for making a difference in the lives of local kids and for supporting our mission. We truly appreciate you!

05/29/2026

05/21/2026

You know what day it is… Thankful Thursday!

Our last lunch donation of the school year was delivered to HOB, $1,871.72!!!
Key West, you always show up for the kids!

Because of your generosity, the 5th grade class will be entering middle school debt-free!!! Together, we were able to pay off the remaining 5th grade balances, cover The Take Stock Students, and help families in need.

In total, Helpings Hands paid off $23,340.63 in past-due lunch debt this year! None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our community. Every dollar raised came directly from donations.

We are still applying for grants and continuing to hope that one day school lunch will be free for all of Monroe County. Until then, let’s keep advocating for our kids and speaking it into existence! 💫

Again, thank you to every single person who supported us, you made this possible! ❤️

05/08/2026

DON’T FORGET!!!!! 📬🥫

Tomorrow is the USPS “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive!

Simply place any shelf-stable food donations by your mailbox, and your mail carrier will pick them up directly from your home. All donations will go straight to the SOS Stock Island Food Pantry to help support local families in need throughout our community.

📍Saturday, May 9th
📦 Put your donations out before mail delivery!

Every can, box, and bag makes a difference, and we can’t wait to see the incredible impact this event will have once again this year. Thank you for helping us fight hunger in the Florida Keys!

05/07/2026

When a community believes in you, it shows through their support. Last month during Walk on White, Certified Lower Keys Plumbing & Fire Inc. collected donations for past due lunch balances & matched the donations!!!

Because of this amazing generosity, $1,000 is going directly toward past due lunch balances.

Thank you to everyone who donated, and an extra special thank you to Certified Lower Keys Plumbing for not only collecting funds, but matching them as well. Your support makes a real difference for students and families! ❤️

04/14/2026

Reminder to our lower keys island 🏝 communities 🪸🐚

KWSA is currently knee-deep in reviewing essays from local senior graduates who applied for Dexter's and his dad Bill's memorial scholarships. I'm personally inspired by the talent, dedication, and stories shared by you all.

At the same time, our mission never pauses. We remain committed to supporting up-and-coming athletes in our community who may need a financial boost to participate in the recreational sport they love.

Check-out our flyer for details on how to apply, donate, or to learn more about our cause 🧡

🌐 keywestsunsetsathletics.org
📧 [email protected]
📞 305.394.0369

04/02/2026

Another Thankful Thursday! 🙏

We want to take a moment to recognize and appreciate everyone who supports us and helps make all of this possible. While we’ve highlighted a few larger donations, every single contribution big or small truly makes a difference.

Below is a long list of the amazing people who helped make this happen. We are incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for believing in our mission and being part of this journey!

Helping Hands can’t thank you enough, and we’re so excited to continue growing and making a positive impact in our community!

Tanikki Jones
Angela Berube
Ashli Fischer
Kelli Malone
Patricia Sunbury
Lindsay Burlew
Holly Merrill
Analise Andrews
Joyce Dimitriou
Julia Alafa
Victor Gallardo
Susan Curry
Catherine Kuester
Pamela Niekamp
Betsy Turner
Jade Castillo
Katalina Rocha
Holly Hopkins
Sylvia Hayward
Amy Fernandez
Alicia Oropeza
Karen Adams
Eva Stafford
Molly Ross
April Flagler
Heather Arencibia
William Freeman
Alexis Holzer
Gary Burchfield
Oscar Fernandez
Declan Knott
Christine Collins
Sallie Donkin
Sherri Blasingame
Susan Campbell
Lisa Pierce
Alexia Degraffenreid
Amanda Caton
Alyssa Magner
Keli Turkall
Stacey Jones
Meghan Butkovich
Carelyn Howell
Maria Navarro
Julie Brown
Emily Kolessar
Valerie Carr
Maggie Albrecht
Tiffany Hebert
Jessica Smith
Chris Trosset
Elaine Libert
Jacquelyn Donohue
Andrea Marion
Lynda K Bringle
William Estes
Erin Graham
Tiffany Folks
Maria RATCLIFF
Summer Mason
Ofelia Baloy
Lily Lopez
Dana Vega
Lindsay L Margil
Zenaida Avilleira
Elizabeth Manaher
Nicole Dow
Christina Grassi
Lisa Rodriguez
Rebecca Cobo
Catherine Guieb
Taylor Nasser
Nathalia Mellies
Edward Gartenmayer
Emely Ocampo
Kristi DeSoiza
Erica Delgado
Nhi Hoang
Martina Lake
Hanna Antonides
Misty Guieb
Jerome Mendaros
April Watson
Jennifer Akins
Erica Gaertner
Linda Ohly
Nina Szmansky
Mercy Ramirez
Andrea Wells
Jessica Acuna Drago
Robert Koske
Kelly Kachurick
Gina King
Gretchen Richmond
Kristen Smith
Roberto Perez
Alexandra Almeda
Katherine Fernandez
Elizabeth Currie
Cece Hoversen
Rebecca Hudson
Athena Flores
Amy Manzanarez
Alisha Criswell

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

03/26/2026

It’s Thankful Thursday!

This week, we were able to donate $16,068.91 to Key West High School Café!

So far this year, Helping Hands has raised $21,368.91 to help cover past-due lunch balances at HOB and Key West High School. While this doesn’t solve the problem entirely, it makes a big dent in overdue balances and helps ease the financial burden for many families in our community. We will continue advocating and working toward long-term solutions to support those in need.

Thank you to the school board for supporting our efforts, knowing we have your support means so much to us!

The biggest thank you goes to our incredible community for always showing up for us. Your likes, shares, and encouraging words keep us motivated and remind us why this work matters. We are so grateful to have such a strong, compassionate community behind us every step of the way. Again, thank you for making your voices heard, and most importantly, making a difference.

Most importantly, no student will ever go without lunch while in the lunch line.

03/24/2026

We are so grateful to be part of such a generous community here in Key West!

This week, Amy, Monroe Concrete, and Charley Toppino & Sons each donated $1,000 to help cover past due balances. Their kindness is making a real and immediate impact for local families.

We’ll be keeping our fundraiser open through April 30, 2026, to continue helping with balances that build up through the end of the school year.

Thank you to everyone who continues to give back and support our students!

Next stop, Key West High School Cafeteria!

https://helpinghandsoffloridakeys.com/become-a-lunch-angel

03/20/2026

The CHIPS program is so lucky to have this partnership with SOS!! This is AMAZING!!!