Helping Hands of Eaton County is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated almost entirely by volunteers. Our goal is to honor our Lord by seeking to be His hands extended. We do this by providing a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need from our community, regardless of their religious beliefs or lack thereof. We further seek to express our faith by exhibiting compassion and encouragement through prayer on request and by providing a listening ear. We offer referrals to other local resources available and make every effort to treat all with dignity and empathy as they encounter difficult times.
Clients are subject to low-income guidelines and residency requirements and are required to sign a statement attesting to their need and the accuracy of the information given us.
In addition to our clientele, we also provide food support to Crosswalk Teen Center here in Charlotte and local organizations providing free community meals.
Serving the greater Charlotte area since 1982, Helping Hands has grown over the years. Each year we receive and honor approximately 5,000 requests for assistance. We meet this need by distributing more than 500,000 pounds of food and personal care items annually, free of charge, to struggling households with Charlotte, Vermontville, Sunfield, and Olivet addresses.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community. Because of special purchasing opportunities, we are able to purchase approximately $10 worth of food for every $1 spent. Overall we have a return rate of 90% of donations going back into the community in direct aid.
Inasmuch as everybody eventually takes a turn going through challenging times, we hope you will consider partnering with us to help people in our community by donating to Helping Hands.