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About Helping Hand

“Helping Hand should provide ’a home’ for its elderly residents and not just a roof over their heads.” 
– Mrs Maggie Carter, former Chairman of our Executive Committee (1987 – 1990)

Our Vision

We believe that senior citizens should be entitled to enjoy rich and dignified life after years of contribution to society.



Mission

Helping Hand's Mission

We aim to meet the housing, care and welfare needs of Hong Kong’s elderly.

We aim to meet the housing, care and welfare needs of Hong Kong’s elderly.


Chairperson's Message

As our mission statement says:

Helping Hand - “We CARE for the Elderly”

Helping Hand started when a retired fishmonger called Bob Saunders came across 120 elderly, sitting with their meagre possessions on a pavement in Kowloon, just been evicted from their 3’x 6’ bed cage home. Many with medical condition. Blind, mentally disturbed, malnourished, penniless, scared.


Bob could have walked by ignoring them, as many did, but Bob stopped as he CARED. He started making calls, and many more people helped as they cared. Those elderly were housed, looked after- CARED FOR - Helping Hand was founded -


From those humble beginnings in 1978 we now provide 1,000 beds in our self care and care & attention homes as well as looking after tens of thousands of elderly in our community yearly.


We have come a long way, we are blessed to work with devoted staff, volunteers and committee members - depending on donors to continue our work to give a happy, safe home for needy elderly in our community - Please CARE with us, we need your help!!


Thank you!


Johanna Arculli, BBS
Chairperson, Executive Committee


History and Milestone

Helping Hand was founded in ​1978

Helping Hand was established in response to the plight of over 100 elders, who were about to be evicted from the “Caged Homes”. A committee was formed and they were rehoused to the Temporary Housing Areas in Pillar Island. Soon after, more shelters for the elderly were opened at Tai Wo Ping, Shun Lee Tsuen, Lai King, Argyle Street, Yue Wan, Kai Cheung, Kai Fook etc respectively.

1984 First cookie Campaign

Annual major fundraising event, “Cookie Campaign”, took place for the first time.

1985 First care home

Our first Care Home was established at Kwai Shing. The other four Care Homes were then set up at Lok Fu, Lai Yiu, Chak On and Tai Wo Hau. Removing the elderly from Temporary Housing Areas and Sheltered Housing Units to the Housing for the Elderly units at Chuk Yuen, Po Lam and Siu Sai Wan.

1985 Mother Teresa's visit

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta visited our first care home at Kwai Shing in 1985, and described it as a “treasure house”.

1989 Princess Diana's Visit

Princess of Wales, Diana’s visit at Chak On Jockey Club Care Home in 1989.

1993 First Elderly Resort

Cheung Muk Tau Holiday Centre for the Elderly, the one-and-only resort specially designed for elders and their carers, was opened in Sai Kung.

1995 New unit in Lok Fu

Infirmary Unit” was set up in Lok Fu Care Home.

2000 Mr Jacky Cheung's support

Mr Jacky Cheung has been supporting our Cookie Campaign for a long time.

2001 Care home in Zhaoqing

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Helping Hand Zhaoqing Home for the Elderly” was opened in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, China for admission for the Hong Kong elderly. First batch of residents was admitted by the end of January 2001.

2005 Boccia for Elderly

The first Hong Kong wide “Boccia Competition for the Elderly” was held to promote this sport to elders.

2006 New service in Zhaoqing Home

Dementia Wing”, which is specially set up for old folks who are suffering form Dementia, was built in the Zhaoqing Home.

2011 More care homes opened

Father Sean Burke Care Home for the Elderly” was opened, and the residents of our three care homes (Chak On, Kwai Shing West and Tai Wo Hau) moved into the new home in the middle of the year.  With 212 places in total, it provides continuum of care services to our elders.

2012 Day Care Centre opening

Our “Day Care Centre” in the Holiday Centre was opened.  It provides comprehensive day care services for 40 elders living in Shatin and Ma On Shan districts.

2014 Support for elders on waiting list

The “Pilot Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong” was implemented in June by the Government. Our “Zhaoqing Home for the Elderly” was one of the residential care homes operated by non-governmental organisations of Hong Kong in Guangdong, provides an option for those elders who are on the Central Waiting List for subsidised care and attention places to choose.

2023 Construction of new care home 

With the government initiated “Special Scheme on Private Land for Welfare Purposes”, finally our initiated plans and concept of a new, advanced 200 beds home, has been confirmed. With completion anticipated in 2028, the construction project will soon be under way. This new, contemporary care home, will include the very latest concept in elderly care.

Our Operation & Governance

Learn more about our organisation structure, people and finances.

  Read about our operation   


Support our work

Helping Hand has been servicing elderly of Hong Kong through various aspects for more than 45 years. Become a donor today and help us build a dignified and fulfilling living environment for more elderlies. 

   Donate              Conta​​​​ct us      


Support our work

Helping Hand has been servicing elderly of Hong Kong through various aspects for more than 45 years. Become a donor today and help us build a dignified and fulfilling living environment for more elderlies. 

   Donate              Conta​​​​ct us