ABOUT Helping Hands

Helping Hands began in Fall 2004, as an activity offered by the Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program. It originated as a group for middle schoolers, who, by the beginning of 2005, started planning their own community activities. The Helping Hands group learned leadership skills through cooperative games and practice in leading meetings.

Later, Helping Hands split into Helping Hands Jr. for middle schoolers and Senior Helping Hands for highschoolers. In Senior Helping Hands, we now run our own meetings, set our own agendas and choose our own projects. We rotate leadership and operate by consensus.

Some of our successes include the Martin Luther King Day celebrations at the Yachats Commons and a expanding free food pantry. We have petitioned city government for projects on the Commons property, including a community garden and "clean up after your dog" signs. We regularly visit and do activities with local seniors, and we're regularly called on by the community to help with events. As a matter of fact, we've become a kind of institution in Yachats that the people know they can come to for help.