Helping Hands Ministry needs your help in order to get $25,000 from State Farm Insurance.
The funds, if awarded, would be used to help establish a soup kitchen in Warren County.
“I sent a grant to State Farm and Helping Hands Ministry was chosen to be in the top 200 finalists,” said Tammy Comfort, president of the organization. “Being chosen is amazing in itself. However, now it’s up to Facebook voters to see if we win.”
What Comfort entered is a program called State Farm Neighborhood Assist. The program is giving away 40 grants that are $25,000 each.
To be among the 40 winners, Helping Hands Ministry needs local residents to download the free State Farm Neighborhood Assist Facebook app, log onto https://apps.facebook.com/sfneighborassist/ and vote as many times as possible through May 16.
“When you log on, Helping Hands Ministry is under ‘community soup kitchen’ and you can vote 10 times a day,” said Comfort.
Overall, 41 states and Canadian provinces have causes in the top 200. The states with the most submissions in the top 200 were California with 26, Illinois with 17, Texas with 13, Michigan with 12 and Florida with 10.
Helping Hands Ministry was the only organization in Warren County selected by the State Farm Youth Advisory Board to be among the 200 finalists.
“After reviewing this year’s cause submissions, I’m inspired by the variety of ways people are working every day to make their communities better places to live,” said Youth Advisory Board member Jared Padgett, a junior at the University of Florida.
Helping Hands Ministry is a nonprofit organization that provides food to elderly, those with low income, and the working poor in Warren County. The ministry is operated by volunteers and purchases food through Second Harvest. Funding comes from community donations, grants and funds from its thrift store called Heavenly Closet.
Along with holding monthly food distributions for individuals who apply for assistance and meet the income guidelines and the occasional mobile food giveaways that are open to everyone regardless of income, the organization wants to open a soup kitchen for individuals in need of a hot meal.
Helping Hands Ministry is located at 216 East Main Street with the entrance located at the back of the building. Heavenly Closet is located next to the ministry.