Helping Hands needs a hand

Marcella Ramsbacher stands beside the canned goods at Helping Hands in Edna,
   Helping hands was created to help the struggling, but recently, they’ve seen a bit of struggle themselves. Donations have slowed to a trickle, and they’re reaching out to the community for help. 
   Marcella Ramsbacher of Helping Hands said donations used to come in the forms of a few grants from churches and those have been drastically reduced. 
   “Maybe the last five times we’ve been open, we haven’t been able to fulfill any of our desires to help, because we don’t have funding,” she said. 
   Helping Hands has been in business for years, doling out food, clothes, gasoline vouchers, and financial help with things like utility bills and doctor and dentist visits, but without funding and donations, they are forced to turn people away. 
   The charity accepts monetary donations in the form of cash and checks, and also takes donations of good, usable furniture, clothing, shoes, nonperishable food items, and other lightly used items. 
   Helping Hands, unlike some other charities, sits and meets with those asking for help, and handles things on a case by case basis. They evaluate income, including food stamps, HUD assistance, and child support, and then help with necessities as they can. Unfortunately for many Jackson County families, they have been forced to turn away even those who otherwise qualify for help due to lack of resources. 
   Ramsbacher said they sometimes receive grants, and are looking into some of those, as well.
   Helping Hands is located at 324 E. Main St. in Edna and is open Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.  
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