New Members
It is with heavy hearts that we share some incredibly sad news. Earlier this week, our namesake, Ginny White, passed away peacefully in her home in South Carolina, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
More than 40 years ago, Ginny founded this organization with a simple yet powerful mission: to provide a “hand up” to those in need in Leominster and beyond. What began as one woman seeing a need and refusing to look away grew into a cornerstone of compassion in our community. Ginny believed that dignity, kindness, and hope were not luxuries, but necessities—and she built Ginny’s Helping Hand around those values.
At the heart of Ginny’s work was her extraordinary generosity—not only in providing food, clothing, or financial support, but in the way she opened her heart, her time, and her energy to others. She had a rare ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and worthy of care. Her generosity was paired with an unwavering determination to help, no matter how complex the challenge.
Ginny was also a problem solver at her core. Long before many systems and services existed as they do today, she thought creatively, worked tirelessly, and did whatever was necessary to help people find stability and safety. She was never constrained by “how things had always been done.” Instead, she focused on what needed to be done—and then found a way to make it happen. That willingness to think outside the box and meet people exactly where they were became a defining part of her legacy.
During her decades of leadership, Ginny touched the lives of thousands. She met individuals and families during some of their most vulnerable moments and responded not with judgment, but with warmth, respect, and action. Many who walked through our doors left with more than assistance; they left with renewed confidence and the reassurance that someone truly cared.
In 2013, Ginny moved to South Carolina to be closer to her family, but the foundation she built here never wavered. Her generosity, compassion, and fearless commitment to helping others continue to guide our work every day. The programs, partnerships, and people that make up Ginny’s Helping Hand today all trace back to her belief that no problem was too big when met with empathy and determination.
Ginny often referred to Leominster as a “City of Angels,” because she saw—time and time again—how neighbors show up for one another. In that same spirit, the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and the entire #TeamGinnys family extend our deepest sympathies to Ginny’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
We invite you to honor Ginny’s memory by choosing, in the days and weeks ahead, to “be like Ginny.” Offer a hand up, think creatively, act generously, and lead with kindness. We know that living out those values is the legacy Ginny would want us to carry forward.
