Nonprofit Spotlight: Operation Helping Hand

Carrollwood resident Bob Silah is founder and chairman of Operation Helping Hand, a nonprofit organization that helps injured active duty members of the military.

Since the organization began in 2004, 650 wounded and injured veterans have been helped, according to Silah.

Patch talked to Silah, a U.S. Navy veteran, about what his organization does and how the community can pitch in to help.

Patch: What does your organization do?

Silah: Our mission is to help assist and support the military's wounded, injured and active duty being treated here in Tampa. That’s our parameters. We deal with the James Haley VA Hospital, and we help the patients coming in. We meet any requests they have. Help them get here, rent a car, pay their gas. The primary thing is paying for airfare. I started a program to help immediate family get here during holiday time. We pay airfare roundtrip for immediate family members.

Patch: How do you fund your efforts?

Silah: I do presentations in Tampa Bay. We put in for grants and have had donations come in by companies and corporations that help us with donations. We’re fortunate that we have orgs to help us. Our monthly dinners started six years ago. We’d have a handful of people, and we’d bring dishes to share to help the patients. It's grown to over 300 people attending. It’s all sponsored and catered for families and patients. We give gifts to patients every month, and flowers to mothers and wives. A florist friend (of mine) donates flowers.

Patch: How did the idea come about for OHH?

Silah: In 2004, I was at a dinner and got to know Dr. Steven Scott. He called me and said, 'We‘re getting a lot of patients in, and they're not being helped financially.' The government doesn’t help the patients or families once they get there. They get base pay and active duty treatment. He found some people (family members of a Haley patient) who were sleeping in their car, and asked if I could help.

I took it to the Military Officers Association of Tampa. I was president at the time, and I took it to my board and asked if the chapter would help start this. They agreed. It was a project o the MOA. Now, we are separate, but part of the chapter.

Patch: Why is OHH important for areas of Tampa Bay like Carrollwood and Northdale?

Silah: I have four to five members living in Carrollwood, so in that way, Carrollwood is a big part of this. We have one in Northdale and three to four in Carrollwood. I have a committee of about 20. They come to dinners and work, help with advertising. They do the hands on. About half are Carrollwood and Northdale.

Patch: How can people get involved if they want to volunteer?

Silah: Go to our website, www.operationhelpinghandtampa.com.