Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC

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Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC is a non-profit organization serving the New York City community since 1982. It is an organization of disabled people helping disabled people. We believe that disabled people should have the right to control their own lives even if at times we need assistance.
We have always worked with volunteers to provide these services. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and many of them are also disabled.
Any disabled person age 18 years and older can become a member of our organization entitling them to any services they need including a monthly social event.
We are the only organization that steps in to help disabled adults with emergencies without requiring a ton of paperwork and we can help someone immediately. For example, if someone calls because they need a winter coat, that need is filled immediately.
We help people with everyday problems. For example, if a blind person’s benefits are interrupted and they have no money to feed their guide dog, we will step in and see that this need is met. We have very modest fees and our dues are .00 per year. In order to receive our services you must be a member.

Services offered:
• Infoline: The Infoline is our newsletter and includes information on our events for the upcoming month. It is sent to members by email and via telephone call.
• Special Food Pantry: Are you wheelchair bound or are you totally blind? Do you find it difficult to go to a regular food pantry? If so, call Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC and have food delivered to your door. Food delivery occurs the third Saturday of the month.
• Action Line: If you need help with small tasks, such as looking up information, reading a website or shopping online, if you have any problems you would like to discuss, or you would just like to chat, you can call our Action Line at 718-606-9712. Everything is confidential.
• Volunteer Services: If you need a volunteer to help you with shopping, running errands, reading mail, going to doctor's appointments, etc., please give us a call one week in advance. We will arrange a volunteer to help you. If you want a volunteer one day a week, please let us know, but there is no guarantee it will be the same volunteer each visit.
• Be A Friend Day: This is an opportunity for you to have a volunteer for 4 hours on the third Saturday of the month to complete tasks such as shopping or reading mail, or something fun like seeing a movie, going to a beauty parlor or going for a walk.
• Restaurant Club: This takes place the second Saturday of the month. Members of the club suggest restaurants to visit. Volunteers are always available to assist. Members are encouraged to contribute .00 to help cover the cost of the meals for our volunteers. Members who bring their own home attendants are not encouraged to contribute the .00 but will be responsible for the cost of their home attendant's meal.
• Trips: From time to time, we will arrange different trips or events. You can make suggestions about what you'd like to do. These events will be announced in our Infoline and will also be available under the "Community Events" section of the website.
• Peer Support Program: Do you ever wish you had someone to speak to who really understood your needs? Do you sometimes feel like when you tell others around you your problems, they simply can't understand because they haven't been there? We are now setting up a peer counseling one-on-one program.

Alice Crespo is the Founder and Director of Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.