Canyon Lake’s Helping Hands names Volunteer of the Year

Ellie Johnson was honored with the 2021 Helping Hands Founders Award given by the group to its Volunteer of the Year. Ellie has been volunteering for many years at the Canyon Lake-based Helping Hands charity.

“The first day she volunteered, she out-worked me and everyone on the team,” Robert Sasser, the Helping Hands Founder, said. “In addition to her volunteering as Social Media Director and Pack Day supervisor, Ellie added to her duties by leading a group serving in a Lake Elsinore senior community delivering food bags.”

Ellie Johnson holds the Helping Hands Founders Award she just received as the organization’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year. With Ellie are Canyon Lake founder Robert Sasser and his wife Linda Sasser. Photo provided by Larry Evans

Helping Hands has been serving the communities of Hemet, Perris, Menifee, Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta and Temecula for more than six years. With over 300 volunteers, the group serves more than 1,000 homes targeting mostly low-income seniors.

“Our volunteers do amazing things in the community and expect nothing back,” Robert said. “In fact, Helping Hands is an all volunteer 501(c)3 organization with no paid employees.”

Volunteer of the Year Ellie also volunteers as a youth leader at Canyon Lake Community Church.

“I have served the past nine years in the Junior High student ministries,” Ellie said. “Around five to six years ago the youth group served at Helping Hands and I became involved once a month after that. I have enjoyed helping our neighbors in need, packing and distributing food.”

Ellie is also on the Helping Hands Board of Directors.