A New Call to Service Leadership

For Eric Snelz, leadership wasn’t a career move; it was a calling he answered at age 62. When the CEO of Helping Hands for Freedom stepped down in late 2016, Snelz – then a founding partner at a successful marketing agency and the only local board member – stepped in to help.

He quickly recognized the profound need and felt, what he calls, “a message.” In a life-defining decision, he sold his shares to his partners and took the helm full-time in early 2017.

Origin

Every mission has a beginning. This one was forged in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004, when Staff Sgt. Patrick Shannon was severely injured in combat. During his six-month recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he listened as his fellow wounded veterans and Gold Star families spoke of their deepest worry: their families’ well-being. Moved by their stories, he made a promise to help. Upon returning home, Shannon met Rod Smith, an experienced nonprofit CEO, and together they brought that promise to life. They formed Helping Hands for Freedom, which officially received its nonprofit status in 2008.

A Personal Calling

Years later, that same spirit of service called to Snelz in a powerful way. At a 2011 Gold Star family picnic in Tempe, he met a 10-year-old boy who spoke proudly of his brother — his hero. When Snelz said he’d love to meet him, the boy replied, “Oh, you can’t. They killed him, and I really miss him.” The words left Snelz stunned, prompting him to think immediately of his own son, Shaine, who was then serving in Afghanistan.

The seed planted at that picnic took root when the war came home. After his second tour, Shaine returned with the invisible wounds of conflict — PTSD and a traumatic brain injury from multiple rocket-propelled grenade explosions. When Shaine’s marriage ended and he moved back home, Snelz saw the daily struggles firsthand. An abstract concern became a personal calling. He knew he had to turn his family’s pain into a mission to help others navigate the difficult road home.

Mission

At its core, Helping Hands for Freedom provides a lifeline, offering stability and dignity to the families of fallen, wounded, and deployed military members. The organization’s primary mission is to deliver emergency financial assistance, focusing on keeping families together in their homes and easing the burdens that follow sacrifice.

Known for

The organization is known for providing critical financial relief, assisting veteran and Gold Star families with rent, mortgage, utility and vehicle payments. Community partnerships are key. In collaboration with BHHS Legacy Foundation, Helping Hands for Freedom provides backpacks and school supplies to approximately 200 children each July.

During the holidays, families receive gift cards for food. It’s about connection, healing and honoring sacrifice. As Snelz said, “I have never regretted it. I have met so many incredible veterans, severely wounded veterans and Gold Star family members who gave me a new perspective on life.”

Most Surprising Thing About the Organization

“Besides having survived the Great Recession and COVID-19,” Snelz said, “we are a one-person nonprofit. We rely on strong relationships with loyal donors and volunteers who have helped sustain our mission for 17 years.”

Program Highlight

“Our ZooLights Holiday program is the highlight of the year,” Snelz said. Local television station CW7 provides hundreds of gifts, and Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company sponsors the entire evening. Between 150 and 200 children from wounded veteran and Gold Star families receive dinner, tickets to ZooLights, and a visit from Santa, who hands out three or four gifts to each child.

Future

The organization is currently navigating a significant funding gap after a major annual fundraising event was canceled this summer. However, Snelz remains optimistic. “We are an Arizona Qualified Charity Organization, which should provide a fourth-quarter revenue boost, along with end-of-year donations. Then the ZooLights event is always a great way to celebrate the holiday season with our families,” he said.

To learn more, visit helpinghandsforfreedom.org.