Boca Helping Hands Appoints Longtime Board Member Andrew Hagen as New Executive Director

Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is proud to announce the appointment of Andrew D. Hagen as its new Executive Director, effective June 2025.

Andy brings decades of leadership experience, a deep commitment to service, and a strong connection to the Boca Helping Hands mission. For the past 20 years, he has served as Senior Pastor of Advent Life Ministries in Boca Raton, leading an $8 million organization with 90 employees across two church campuses, two schools, and a Senior Living Center. His tenure was marked by vision, compassion, and a focus on building meaningful impact both locally and globally.

“Boca Helping Hands is a first-class charitable organization providing food, resources, and job training to those in need,” Hagen said. “They seek to offer more than a ‘handout’—they offer a ‘hand up’ to a better life.”

Born and raised in Michigan, Andy earned his undergraduate degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and went on to receive both a Master’s Degree and Doctorate from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He served as pastor at two Lutheran churches in Chicago before relocating to Florida.

A longtime supporter of BHH, Andy has served on the organization’s Board of Directors for the past eight years and actively volunteers at BHH’s Lake Worth Pantry Distribution site, where he helps provide food and support to families in need.

“Andy’s long history of service, his leadership skills, and his heart for the community make him an ideal choice to lead Boca Helping Hands,” said Gary Peters, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We are excited for this next chapter.”

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Andy is a published author, an avid guitar player, a passionate cook, and an enthusiastic traveler. He has participated in mission trips to Haiti, the Bahamas, India, and Bangladesh. He is happily married to Susan Dingle, a Clinical Psychologist, and is the proud father of two married children and grandfather of three.

As Executive Director, Andy will oversee BHH’s daily operations, staff, and programs, including food distribution, job training, financial assistance, and medical and dental care—serving nearly 35,000 people annually.