Operation Helping Hands, a partnership between The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald and United Way of Miami-Dade, was established to provide South Florida residents with a way to reach out and help their neighbors in need following a disaster or humanitarian crisis.
Operation Helping Hands was created in 1998 in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes Mitch and Georges, and has been reactivated several times since to help Floridians extend a helping hand to help those involved in emergency situations. This year, 100% of the money raised through Operation Helping Hands is being used to support relief and recovery efforts in Haiti through non-profit organizations working on the ground. To date, through Operation Helping Hands, United Way has made grants totaling almost $1 million for Haiti relief.
Partners in Operation Helping Hands include: Aetna; Akerman Senterfitt; American Airlines; The Beacon Council; CVS Caremark; Miami-Dade County; Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Noven Pharmaceuticals; Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.; Switchboard of Miami, Inc.; and the University of Miami.