Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. awards grant to Helping Hands of Franklin County, Habitat for Humanity

Press Release from Kyle Bacon, Vice President of  Helping Hands Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County

BENTON, IL  – Kyle Bacon, Vice President of Helping Hands of Franklin County, HfH, the local chaper of Habitat for Humanity accepted a $2,000 check issued by Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. from Mark and Kristan Berning, employees of Walt Disney World.

Mark a lead database engineer, and Kristan a labor and staffing analyst for Disney, designated grant funds for Helping Hands when they were awarded the 2017 Disney VoluntEARS Family of the Year Award which they and their 10 year-old daughter Lauren, earned by volunteering over 330 hours while participating in Disney’s employee VoulntEARS program.

Annual volunteer awards are presented to Disney Cast Members who make a difference in Central Florida.  As part of the recognition, VoulntEARS of the year honorees are presented with a $2000 charitable grant form the Walt Disney Company to go toward a non profit organization of their choice.

Kristan, who is originally from Benton, said, “It is my hope these funds will be able to provide your organization the opportunity to help people in the community who are deserving and in need.  I selected Helping Hands of Franklin County because I can see each time we visited my grandmother, Susie Willis, during the summer there is clearly a need to provide for so many in need.”

Bacon thanked the Berings for selecting Helping Hands for the grant and for their many volunteer hours.  He said, “This money will help us give a low income family the opportunity to purchase a newly constructed home.  We have completed our 14th home in West Frankfort and will build our 15th home in Benton.  As soon as we receive sufficient additional donations, we will begin construction.”

Frank Grounds, a Helping Hands Director who also attended the presentation said, “Habitat is an organization that gives people a hand up, not a hand out.  Selected families are given the opportunity to purchase a home with a 20 year interest free loan and are responsible for paying the annual insurance premium and real estate taxes, which are prorated and added to their monthly payment.

Persons wanting to make a tax deductible donation may make their check payable to Helping Hands of Franklin County, and mail it to PO box 34, Benton IL, 62812.