Who We Are

The Story of Helping Hands

Helping Hands is a humanitarian group of dedicated volunteers based in Wausau, Wisconsin, who share their time, talent, and treasure to empower vulnerable communities. While our primary focus today is on the communities of Central Kenya, the seeds of our organization were planted decades ago on a different continent.

An Interview with Tom and Mary Pat Roovers

The Spark That Started It All

The story of Helping Hands begins in 1986. Tom Roovers was participating in a medical and musical mission trip in St. Lucia with an organization called Good News. Without a specific role on the medical or musical teams, Tom set off on what he called a “walkabout in the bush.”

During that walk, he encountered a young woman giving birth in deeply impoverished conditions. Struck by the profound need and moved to action, Tom spent the next week and a half building her a secure, 12-by-16-foot one-room house. The experience of directly transforming someone’s living conditions—and the resulting feeling of providing tangible hope—struck a deep chord. Tom returned home to Wisconsin and shared the profound experience with his wife, Mary Pat.

The Birth of a Mission

Initially, Tom and Mary Pat continued their humanitarian work under the umbrella of their local parish. However, they soon realized they needed an independent structure to fully realize their vision and ensure funding went directly to those in need. They decided to establish their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

When it came time to choose a name, the decision was simple. Because their model relied on taking groups of people on mission trips to serve together, there were always “many hands” ready to assist. Thus, Helping Hands was born.

From day one, their primary goal has been simple: to give hope to those in despair. As Mary Pat explains, providing that foundational support doesn’t just give someone a physical item; it lifts them up and restores their dignity in a region where families often have nowhere else to go for assistance.

The True Heart of Helping Hands

While Tom and Mary Pat Roovers planted the seed, they are the first to tell you that they are not the heart of the organization.

As Tom notes, the real people who make Helping Hands what it is are the volunteers. It is the people traveling to Kenya to construct homes. It is the builders crafting chicken coops and prefab beds so families have a way to sustain themselves and a place to sleep. It is the dedicated women who gather every Tuesday morning in Wisconsin to cut and sew thousands of reusable sanitary pads so young girls can stay in school. Without these individuals, the mission stops.

Mary Pat emphasizes that this incredible effort is a two-way street. The volunteers who dedicate their time don’t just change lives in Kenya; they receive immense joy, deep camaraderie, and the fulfillment of giving their hearts to a truly good cause.

We invite you to add your hands to ours. Join us in building hope and transforming lives.