Project Helping Hands Gives Thanksgiving Cheer to 788 Needy Families

By Theodore Kalmoukos
Special to the National Herald

Dracut, Mass. – One hundred and fifty men and women, all volunteers, many Greek-Americans among them – John Zaralidis was the first one this year again – brought joy and smiles on the faces of almost 800 families by providing them with a rich and happy Thanksgiving meal for more than 12 hours this past Monday, November 19.

For the 14th consecutive year, Nick Manolis, owner of the House of Pizza & Seafood Restaurant in Dracut, shared the blessings which God has upon him and his family with those in need.

A big U-Haul truck was parked in his restaurant’s parking lot on 1067 Lakeview Avenue, loaded with turkeys which Mr. Manolis’ youngest son, Elias, a college student pursuing a degree in business management, had loaded at 5 AM from Demoulas Market. A building next to his restaurant happened be vacant, and they had also stored all the dry goods and a Thanksgiving kitchen needs from the day before.

An army of volunteers had prepared huge baskets with all the necessary items needed for a Thanksgiving table: turkey, bread, rice, potatoes, corn, stuffing, carrots, cranberry, coffee, cake and two liters of Coke, as well as other items – enough to last for an entire week.
Mr. Manolis has named this expression of love and philanthropy, “Project Helping Hands,” and it has been organized by himself, his wife Voula and their two sons, Elias and Eftymios, a pharmaceutical student at Northeastern University in Boston.

The first year, they started with 30 baskets, Mr. & Mrs, Manolis even cooked the turkeys themselves, and delivered them to families in need. “They did not have an oven in their homes to cook the turkeys. They were telling we want to have a turkey meal, but we do not have an oven.” The second year, the number was increased to 45; the third year, they reached 80; by year four, they had reached 150; and this year, they prepared Thanksgiving baskets fir 788 families altogether.

Each basket costs about $40. this years distribution cost approximately $30 thousand, $15 thousand of which came from donations, with the other $15 thousand was the Manolis family’s annual Thanksgiving gift. The first seven years, the Manolis family did not accept any donations. They offered the whole thing on their own. Confidentiality of recipients’ names is paramount. Only one person knows the names on the list, Mrs. Manolis. “She doesn’t allow even me to see the list,” Mr. Manolis said. “This is the way it should be.”

Among the 788 families who received the Thanksgiving baskets this year were about 120 Greek Orthodox families who are listed through American Philanthropic Agencies because they do not want anyone in the Greek American community to recognize their names.

“We have a strict confidentiality agreement because they come and pick up baskets from different organizations like battered women. We have to make sure that no one follows us because their former husbands are trying to locate them,” said Mr. Manolis, who is the heart and soul – the driving force – of this humanitarian endeavor.

Many baskets are given to the elderly, he added. “I am very sensitive about the elderly, and I believe that they are not properly cared for in this country.”

Mr. Manolis also delivered 20 baskets to a local hospital in Lowell for low-wage workers who can not afford a Thanksgiving meal. “They have jobs, but they do not have enough money to prepare a Thanksgiving table,” Mr. Manolis said.

Asked why he does Project Helping Hands every year, Mr. Manolis, a successful self-made businessman, replied without hesitation, “Because God has blessed us so much. When I first came from Greece in 1966 with my parents and my sister, we did not have anything. Today, God has blessed us with so much, and when I see people who barely have enough to eat, I say to myself, “I know what it is not to have even the most basic things in life.’ I remember how difficult it was for me to see my friends going to the movies, and I couldn’t go, or when they were buying lunch, but I couldn’t afford it. I thank God everyday for what he has given us, and I am trying to pass this philosophy onto my children. I believe very strongly that we should give to those who do not have because when death comes, I will not take anything with me.”

Asked how he felt seeing all those cars delivering the goods out of your store’s property, he said, “My heart smiles and that says all.”
The Coca-Cola Company donated 1500 2-liter bottles; the Greek American-owned Demoulas Supermarket offered a good price on the turkeys and other food items; and other businesses and individuals contributed money.

The city of Lowell has four Greek Orthodox parishes and one Antiochian Orthodox church. ONLY 1 IN 4 GAVE
Asked whether any of the parishes have been helping Project Helping Hands, Mr. Manolis said, “Transfiguration Church has given abundantly. The rest of them do not. We asked them to contribute, but they did not give. I am the type of person who asks once. If I do not get a response, I do it on my own, and that is the end of it. To the best of our knowledge, the other parishes do not do anything for the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Nineteen-year-old Elias Manolis has been helping his parents with this philanthropic effort since he was 8 years of age, and he promises to continue it himself. “I believe that we should give back to people, and to society,” he said.

Mrs. Manolis said, “This gives me a lot of joy; I can not express it with words; it is unbelievable. God has given us so much, and what we do is the least we should do. They already called me , and they have no words to express their thanks. A mother with three children, who just got divorced, told me, “I couldn’t have a Thanksgiving meal if it wasn’t for you.’ The need this year is greater than previous years. It is so sad to hear stories about people who do not even have basic daily food to eat.”

Christine Keho, a director of the local battered women’s organization, came to the Manolis family’s restaurant with two assistants and filled her SUV with baskets. She told the National Herald, “We are very grateful to Mr. Manolis because many women wouldn’t otherwise have the means to have a hot meal on the Thanksgiving Day.”

Another group which has benefited this year was grandparents who raised their grandchildren, whose parents are unable to do so for various reasons (e.g., because they are in prison)

Mr. Zaralidis, owner of the J&R Foreign Car Specialists and a dear friend of Mr. Manolis, not only contributed financially to Project Helping Hands, but also he spends many hours making deliveries to various families and organizations.

“I have known Nick Manolis for over ten years, and what he does is God’s work. The churches should be doing it,” Mr. Zaralidis said, expressing his disappointment. “I have asked one of the parish presidents to organize something – with all the parishes together – for the victims of the devastating wildfires in Greece, and I am still waiting. The Orthodox Counsel of Churches here in Lowell can do what Nick does, but unfortunately, I do not see any interest,” said Mr. Zaralidis, who is former president of the Transfiguration Church community in Lowell.

Carol DeCup also spent many hours making deliveries with her own car. “I’m trying to give back a little. Financially I cant do a lot, but if I can help this way, I will.” Each roundtrip delivery takes about an hour and half, she said.

“We made six stops , so far, and we have two more to do, and then ill come back later to see if Mr. Manolis needs more help. People appreciate it. When I go to their homes, I see a lot of crying. You know, its very hard for some people to accept help – very hard – but they appreciate it,” she said.
“We went to one family whose baby is going through kidney transplant; they spent a lot of money on trips going back and forth to Boston. It’s a very young couple. There is another family with two handicapped sons. They start crying about the help we give them, and they are just so grateful,” she added.