After six years in operation, one local group is on track to becoming a society in the eyes of the Alberta government. Helping Hands of Grande Prairie, which collects items for those in need, has filed the paperwork for society status.
“Our main core is to provide nutritional food options, healthy food, fresh foods. We also cover other basic items like clothing for your children or we have people that are just moving out of places like the women’s shelter who need bedding or beds. Whatever our community can provide for people in need,” says Founder Jennifer Farquhar.
Becoming a society would help the group access funding and grants and give it the ability to host fundraisers and offer receipts for cash donations.
Helping hands started as a Christmas hamper program but expanded to a year-round operation when they say they saw the need. Farquhar says this would not be possible without the help of the community.
“Community involvement is huge. Making connections within our own community has been paramount to helping people better their situations. We’ve seen people put together with people that are willing to help them out of situations that otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to.”
Anyone looking to donate to Helping Hands can drop off things like food, clothing and gift cards at Tracy’s Treasures on 100 Street. Farquhar says she doesn’t know when they will find out if they’ve been approved but they’ll just have to wait and see.