Helping Hands of Kosciusko, a faith-based food and clothing ministry, needs nonperishable food goods, volunteers and monetary donations
Because of inflation, Scott Carson, the director of Helping Hands, said that volunteers served over 1,000 people last month in Attala County.
“Our numbers have been going up as the economy has been going down,” Carson said. “Last month for the first time since I’ve been working here, we served over 1,000 people.”
According to Helping Hands President Mary Al Alford, since the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, the organization has been seeing a decline of volunteers and more food shortages from the Mississippi Food Network, where Helping Hands gets its supplies to distribute to the public.
Helping Hands provides a 40-pound food box once a month to those in need that have registered with its services. Those in need of the food can grab a box through the drive-thru service but must each have proof they are a resident of Attala County by providing a bill with their name and Attala address or a driver’s license with their name and Attala residence.
Boxes are available on Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon. Each household and or individual is only given one box per month.
“We probably have about 500 active registrants,” Carson said. “Most of those being people over the age of 60 and the second highest being people between the ages of 5 and 19.”
Alford and Carson both said that Helping Hands had to recently close its doors early because the ministry ran out of food to hand out.
Carson, who orders the food from the Mississippi Food Network website, said when he first started working as the director of Helping Hands in September of last year there were over six pages of food items to pick and order from. Now, however, there is only one page with select items to choose from.
Food boxes that normally contain canned fruits, vegetables, dried pastas, a protein, drinks and sometimes baked goods are now being condensed.
Not only is Helping Hands seeing a shortage of food to give, but they also are needing more volunteers to help on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“We need younger able-bodied people to contribute,” Alford said.
Alford, who is grateful for the people currently serving as volunteers, said Helping Hands is also in need of volunteers who can help carry 40-pound food boxes and help with the community's needs.
“A lot of the time when we ask younger people to help, they have school or work,” Alford said. “So, it’s challenging to find young volunteers.”
Since the inside of the Helping Hands building has been cut off from the public for almost two years due to COVID, there has not been a lot of fundraising for the organization.
One of the income sources that brings in some funds is the Helping Hands thrift store. Some of the clothes donations are also given to those in need; they just provide the volunteers with clothing sizes and the type of clothing they need.
Helping Hands will host two fundraising events in the future to help raise money. The first fundraiser will be held Sept. 2 in the First United Methodist Church parking lot. Barbecue plates, including pulled pork, baked beans, slaw and chips, will be sold for $10 each from 4 to 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the FUMC office or from Helping Hands board members. The second fundraiser will be a Holiday Tasting at the First Baptist Church of Kosciusko on Nov. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased from First Baptist Church or Helping Hands board members.
Until then, locals can support Helping Hands by donating canned proteins, water bottles, juice, soft drinks, dry goods, canned vegetables and fruit, bread, sandwich meat, and baked goods. The drop-off is located at the Helping Hands building, 14117 Attala Road 4202, in Kosciusko.
“What’s causing us to be in sort of a bind here is everyone knows what’s going on with the economy, and as things become more expensive, that’s when you see a drastic drop off in charitable giving,” Carson said.
Cash and monetary donations can be made in person at the Helping Hands building or can be sent to Helping Hands Ministries, P.O. Box 299, Kosciusko, MS 39090.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Carson by email at tangopaw2@gmail.com or call Helping Hands at 662-289-7031.
