Run by Tuck partners, Helping Hands is a great resource for the Tuck community. When a student or partner has a baby, or if someone has fallen ill or is hurt, we contact them to see if they can use some assistance. Usually people request help with meals or running errands. Many people this year have asked us for help because they have just had a baby and they're adjusting to a hectic new lifestyle!
When we get a request for help, we recruit volunteers by emailing the Tuck partners and students who have asked to receive our messages. The response is always generous-and people respond so quickly! This is so encouraging, and points to the type of close-knit community that makes Tuck unique. There have been a few instances where we have had more volunteers than we needed. In these cases, we put people on standby or simply deliver help for a longer period than the requestor asked for. I've delivered a few meals to newly expanded families, and it's heartening to see how much you can help a family just by bringing them dinner.
Our efforts to date have been so successful that we're hoping to expand the reach of Helping Hands to offer dog-sitting and babysitting support as well.
As co-chair of the program, I have been able to meet many people in the Tuck community. In addition to interacting with partners and students in arranging assistance, I am a part of the larger Tuck partner board. This gives me the chance to meet other partners, it keeps me plugged into the community, and it puts me in a position where I can coordinate fun activities for students and partners to enjoy.
