Happy Holidays!

Are you ready for the Holidays? Do you have all your gifts wrapped and ready to go for Christmas day? Is your calendar filled with invitations to reunions, get-togethers, and office parties? Have you already planned your menu for Christmas Dinner?

With all the gifts, festivities, and food going on during the holidays, it might be easy to lose sight of the reason for the season. Let us always remember that Christmas is about sharing, giving, and being thankful for all that we receive, both the blessings and the challenges: thankful for being able to share our blessings, and thankful for being able to overcome the challenges that life throws our way.

2016 has been (quite arguably) a very “colorful” year, so to speak. And to say that news outlets and social media feeds are filled with stories that are shocking is an understatement.

Let’s look beyond the din of bleak news and dreary forecasts. The only way for us to fight hopelessness is to be the hope we expect in others. Here at The Help, we are all about service. Not only are we committed to providing excellent service to our clients but we are also committed to giving back to our community.

We are a cheerful bunch of busy bees, and we love to share that positive outlook with others. Over the past few years, we have been involved in many outreach programs and community service. Today, we share a few of the programs that we were lucky enough to have been a part of over the years.

In November of 2013, one of the most devastating typhoons ever recorded in history hit Southeast Asia, with the most damage done to the Philippines killing more than 10,000 people and causing an estimated $2.8B in damages.

The first ever outreach program of The Help was born in December of 2013, where we organized a gift giving and Christmas program for the less fortunate of our fellow typhoon survivors. We all lost something that fateful day but sharing what we have with others has given us so much more in return.

With our pooled resources, we were able to put together Christmas Baskets for more than 50 families. We shared food, stories, and laughter. This was just the beginning. The Help has been continuing the tradition of service ever since.

Here are a few pictures of the Christmas Haiyan outreach 2013:

Basic Household and Kitchen Supplies

School supplies for the children

Non-perishable goods

School supplies for the children

Prayer

Breaking of bread

Dinner with Haiyan Survivors

A picture of "HOPE" in the midst of Loss

The father in this photo just got discharged from the hospital.

Dinner

Game

Haiyan Survivors and The Help Team

In Dec of 2014, we shared a meal, laughter, and gifts with the kids of InJoy Life Children’s Home.

Mangas Elementary School

Little Angels Home, Inc. (LAHI FOUNDATION)

Mother Teresa Spinelli’s Treasures

Bahay San Rafael Home for Special Children

San Jose Bahay Kalinga (Home for the Aged)

Our beneficiaries this year are:

Little Angels Home, Inc. (LAHI FOUNDATION)

Alfonso Central School (SpEd, K-6th)

Love,

From all of us at The Help