Helping Hands of Florida Keys

10/15/2026

Last week, Helping Hands of Florida Keys delivered $1,092.67 to Gerald Adams Elementary School, completely clearing their past-due lunch balances!!!

You read that right! ANOTHER school with a ZERO past-due lunch balance on October 8, 2026!!

Every school we help brings us one step closer to our long-term goal.

Our hope is that 10 years from now, these Facebook memories will pop up, and we'll be living in a world where EVERY child has access to free school meals, regardless of their family's financial situation.

Imagine looking back and realizing that school lunch debt is a thing of the past. Until that day comes, we will continue showing up, paying off balances, supporting families, and advocating for free school meals for ALL students in Monroe County!

One school at a time. One balance at a time. One step closer to a future where no child has to worry about lunch debt. 💙

These donations were only made possible through the generosity of local candidates and elected officials who chose to give back to our community. Darren Horan - Monroe County School Board Dist. 1Capt. Tim Urbanski - Key West Utility Board Member, Seat D Danise Deedee Gil Henriquez Capt. Tim Urbanski - Key West Utility Board Member, Seat D Greg Sullivan for Key West Commissioner District 5

10/08/2026

Thankful Thursday 💛

This week, Helping Hands of Florida Keys delivered a check to HOB school for $3,484.97 to help clear past-due student lunch balances.

And this is HUGE… on October 6, 2026, HOB had a ZERO past-due lunch balance!!!

This was made possible by the local candidates who chose to donate their leftover campaign funds back to our community.

A huge thank you to Darren Horan - Monroe County School Board Dist. 1 for suggesting this idea to other candidates and for donating, along with Danise Deedee Gil Henriquez, Capt. Tim Urbanski - Key West Utility Board Member, Seat D and Greg Sullivan for Key West Commissioner District 5 Your generosity made a direct impact on local students and families.

We are incredibly grateful for everyone who continues to support Helping Hands and our mission to help families in the Lower Keys. It truly takes a community! 🫶

Can you guess which schools Helping Hands will be visiting next?

09/18/2026

A Special Thank You to Darren Horan - Monroe County School Board Dist. 1

Helping Hands of Florida Keys would like to thank Darren Horan for his continued support of our Lunch Angel Fund.

Darren not only contributed funds to help cover past-due student lunch balances, but also encouraged other candidates and elected officials to support this effort.

Over the past six months, Darren has been supporting us as we continue advocating for a long-term solution and greater access to free school meals for Monroe County students.

We know change won’t happen overnight, but we aren’t done yet. We’ll keep advocating until every child can go to school focused on learning, and no family has to worry about the balance on their child’s lunch account. ❤️

Thank you, Darren, for helping us keep this important conversation moving forward!

07/15/2026

📚✏️ Back-to-School Giveaway at Smoothie Shuttle! 🍎🎒

Starting July 15, we’re inviting all school-aged kids and teachers to stop by Smoothie Shuttle! We’ve stocked up on back-to-school supplies and would love to share them with our community.

Available while supplies last:
✏️ Pencils
📓 Notebooks
🎒 Pencil boxes
🖍️ Colored pencils
🩹 Glue sticks
✨ Erasers
🔪 Pencil sharpeners
…and more!

For students: Bring your school-aged child to Smoothie Shuttle and let them choose up to 5 items each. Please help us make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy the giveaway.

For teachers: If you could use extra supplies for your classroom, stop by and ask for Sam. We’ll be happy to provide extra supplies while they last.

Everything is FREE and available on a first come, first served basis.

We can’t wait to help our students and teachers get ready for an amazing school year. See you starting July 15! 💙📚

Please like and share the news to help us reach more local families and teachers!

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