Our Story

Gene Legler, Executive Director, was born and raised in Rochester, NY.  His parents, Edward and Noreen Legler, were devout Catholics who were members of Holy Cross Parish and sent each of their children to Holy Cross School.  Gene’s parents were always donating to different charities, with his mother volunteering on a monthly basis to clean the sacristy at the Church.  As children, his family always had food on the  table, yet his parents reminded them all that there are several families that do not.  Even though the family didn’t have everything they wanted, they had everything they needed.

Those values of giving and serving were how Helping Hands and Caring Hearts of America was created in 2015, with the express intent on encouraging people to help the less fortunate.  Our organization will provide financial assistance through scholarship awards to two (2) minority high school college bound seniors coming from low income backgrounds.  Each scholarship recipient will then give back to their community through service with the Helping Hands and Caring Hearts Volunteer Team throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth & Rochester, NY areas.