Our Story
Dedication and Service
In the U.S. alone, there are at least 125 cases of children born each year with missing fingers on one or both of their hands. This loss of function may be restored with a prosthetic device, however this solution can be costly. Traditional prosthetic devices can cost families thousands of dollars and are often outgrown by children. Meanwhile, 3D printed devices allow for easy scaling and assembly of new devices as children grow.
We use 3D printing and other emerging technologies to build recreational prosthetic devices for children with limb differences. Volunteers, primarily students at NC State, use available resources and donations to skillfully design and produce prosthetic devices at no cost to children or their families.
Our Mission
Anything Is Possible
Commitment, transparency, innovation. These three values have stood at the center of the The Helping Hand Project at ECU mission since our founding in 2000. We wholeheartedly commit to the work we do with passion and dedication, transparently sharing it with the San Francisco community and inviting others to take part. On top of this, we challenge ourselves to think creatively, applying an innovative approach to all that we do. This mission drives the continued success of The Helping Hand Project at ECU.
Our Roots
The Helping Hand Project traces its origins back to the summer of 2014 when Holden’s parents reached out to the Biomedical Engineering (BME) department at UNC Chapel Hill. They heard of 3D printing being used to create prosthetic devices and were looking for someone who could build their son a similar device. Jeff Powell rose to the challenge by researching and experimenting with open-source designs for 3D printed prosthetic devices. During this process, Jeff met and heard from many other families who wanted a similar device for their child. After the delivery of Holden’s device, Jeff decided to create The Helping Hand Project with fellow students. The group dedicated itself to creating high-quality 3D printed prosthetic devices and providing them to children at no cost.We use 3D printing and other emerging technologies to build recreational prosthetic devices for children with limb differences. Volunteers, primarily students at NC State, use available resources and donations to skillfully design and produce prosthetic devices at no cost to children or their families.