Operation Helping Hand Turns 9

When Bob Silah convinced members of the Military Officers Association of America’s Tampa Chapter to launch Operation Helping Hand nine years ago, chances are he didn’t expect the nonprofit would still be going strong nearly a decade later.

Since wounded soldiers are still arriving all the time at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital’s spinal cord injury and comprehensive rehabilitation units, it is and the need continues to grow, said Silah, a retired Navy captain who served in Vietnam and lives nearby in Carrollwood.

Since its launch in May 2004, Operation Helping Hand has lent support to more than 700 people, said Silah, who serves as the group’s chairman. The grassroots, all-volunteer nonprofit operates on donations from the community to provide wounded, active duty military patients and their families with direct assistance.

A hand up from Operation Helping Hand might include round-trip airfare for family that wants to be at a patient’s bedside to something as small as gift cards so patients and their families can purchase items they need.

In addition to direct assistance, the organization also plays host to monthly dinners at the veterans’ hospital for patients and their families. These dinners are sponsored by local businesses and are catered by local restaurants. Other events are sprinkled in throughout the year, including field trips to Tampa Bay Rays games for those who are able.

Many of the soldiers who receive assistance have lost limbs, been paralyzed or have suffered other serious trauma, such as blindness and brain injuries, as a result of wartime activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. They come to the Tampa Bay area from all over the country, having served in various branches of the military.

Why it Matters?

Silah, a longtime Carrollwood resident, said he got MOAA involved in launching Operation Helping Hand almost a decade ago because of his own military experiences.

“When I came back from Vietnam, the reception was terrible,” he recalled. “You couldn’t leave the ship without civilian clothes.”

He wanted the return home to be different for today’s soldiers. When the idea came up in 2004, he thought it was a good way to make sure that “didn’t happen again.”

Operation Helping Hand’s very first assistance case convinced Silah the need was present – and he says it still is today.

That first case involved a family that was living in a car so members could be there for a wounded soldier hospitalized in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Rallies Behind Operation Helping Hand

While the need is great and fundraising is a constant, Silah said the nonprofit has been fortunate to have such great support from businesses and organizations throughout Tampa Bay’s numerous counties. Big donors have included such groups as the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Tampa Bay Rays, USAA insurance and countless others.

Local restaurants such as Brunchies in Carrollwood and Boston’s on Anderson Road have played host to dinners for military personnel and their families. They also open their doors to host fundraisers.

“How can you say no,” explained Brunchies owner William Kranich. “I feel good being a part of it.”

Even small donations matter though, Silah said.

While he’d like to say there might not be a need for Operation Helping Hand in the near future, Silah’s not confident.

“There’s nothing I’d love more than to be out of business.”

For more information about Operation Helping Hand and how to get involved, visit the organization’s website.

This is the first in a multi-part series on Operation Helping Hand and its impact on the Tampa Bay area.

See Also:

• Bob Silah Honored by Tampa Bay Lightning 
• Bob Silah Provides Help and Hope to Injured Soldiers
• Nonprofit Spotlight: Operation Helping Hand

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