Recently, many Big Bend residents have, for the first time in their lives, experienced economic crisis. Existing resources of human-service agencies are already stretched thin. How do we keep individuals who until 2008 “were doing just fine, thank you” from falling so deep into distress that they can’t recover when the economy does? The community must reach out to them in an extraordinary way.

HELP&HOPE is a project initiated by United Way of the Big Bend with the assistance of many caring individuals and partners. We believe that all across these eight counties are individuals, businesses, churches, service clubs, civic organizations, and nonprofit groups who would be willing to do something very special if they knew what was needed and how to step forward.

HELP&HOPE’s mission is to connect those experiencing crisis due to the current economic recession with existing and new resources needed to hasten their return to economic independence.