07/21/2026
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The Helping Hands Legacy
Founded on Gratitude. Built Through Compassion. Sustained by Community.
“Helping Hands was built from gratitude. It continues through compassion. It grows because of community.”
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The Heart Behind Helping Hands
Every organization has a beginning.
Some begin with a business plan.
Some begin with an opportunity.
Helping Hands began with a grateful heart.
Years ago, during one of the most difficult seasons of my family’s life, my daughter struggled with addiction. As a mother, I experienced fear, uncertainty, heartbreak, and countless moments of wondering what tomorrow would bring.
During that time, our family was surrounded by organizations, ministries, and people who chose compassion over judgment. They offered support, encouragement, resources, and hope when we needed it most.
Those acts of kindness changed our lives.
As our family began to heal, I made a promise to myself.
If I was ever in a position to give back, I would.
That promise became the foundation of what is now Helping Hands.
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Our Journey
Helping Hands was originally established as Harvest Alabama Vendor & Craft Fair, created to provide local vendors, artisans, and small businesses with an opportunity to showcase their talents while bringing the community together.
With each event, I realized something important.
These gatherings could become much more than shopping events.
They could become a way to strengthen our community.
They could provide opportunities for small businesses to grow.
They could bring neighbors together.
Most importantly, they could become a source of hope and support for charities, organizations, and families facing challenges of their own.
That realization inspired a new name…
Helping Hands.
Today, Helping Hands proudly coordinates events featuring more than 75 local vendors and community partners, working together to create opportunities while giving back to organizations that serve others with compassion.
Every booth reserved…
Every volunteer who gives their time…
Every sponsor who believes in our mission…
Every shopper who chooses to support local…
Becomes part of something much bigger than a single event.
They become part of a community dedicated to lifting others up.
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Our Mission
To unite our community by creating opportunities for local businesses while supporting charities, organizations, and families through compassion, generosity, and service.
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Our Vision
To build a stronger community where every event creates opportunities, every partnership inspires hope, and every act of kindness makes a lasting difference.
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Our Core Values
💜 Compassion
We lead with kindness and never forget why Helping Hands was created.
🩵 Community
We believe that together we are stronger than any one individual.
🩷 Opportunity
Every small business deserves the opportunity to succeed and grow.
💛 Service
Giving back is at the heart of everything we do.
❤️ Gratitude
We honor those who once extended a helping hand by extending ours to others.
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The Helping Hands Promise
We promise to treat every vendor with respect.
We promise to welcome every guest with kindness.
We promise to serve our community with integrity.
We promise to support organizations making a difference.
We promise to remember that people will always matter more than profits.
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A Message from the Founder
Helping Hands is my way of saying “thank you.”
Thank you to the people who stood beside my family during our hardest days.
Thank you to the organizations that offered hope when we needed it most.
Thank you to every vendor, volunteer, sponsor, and shopper who has chosen to become part of this mission.
Together, we are creating something much greater than an event.
We are building relationships.
We are strengthening our community.
We are creating opportunities.
We are extending hope.
Every Helping Hands event is a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can change someone’s life.
I believe that when people come together with compassion and purpose, incredible things happen.
Thank you for believing in this mission.
Thank you for becoming part of the Helping Hands family.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Sandra Kanney
Founder & Executive Director
Helping Hands
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Our Legacy
We will not measure our success by the number of booths we fill.
We will measure our success by the dreams we help grow.
By the charities we strengthen.
By the families we encourage.
By the volunteers we inspire.
By the community we build.
Because someone once extended a helping hand to us…
We now extend our hands to others.
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Helping Hands Loves to Give Back to Those in Need
Together WE CAN Make a Difference
