Because we feel it is important that you know how and where your donations to Helping Hands are spent, here is what was done in the past week as well as what has been spent year-to-date:
This Week
Electric 4 families $ 1,089.06
Water 3 families $ 1,074.47
Rent 21 families $ 27,970.36
Medical 1 family $ 3,000.00

Total $ 33,133.89

Year to date assistance is $1,563.590.27 with over 90% of that amount going to families for housing assistance. At the beginning of January, we will run a full accounting of what was spent in each of all of our categories. It is clear to see that this has been an extremely challenging year. We are deeply appreciative to all of you who have made this possible through your unending generosity and care for the poor through Helping Hands.
We received a call today from a concerned friend who heard that Helping Hands was not able to help those in need anymore. We laughed incredulously when we heard that, but then, putting ourselves in the shoes of those calling our helpline; we can certainly understand why some people may think we are not helping.
This morning, Monday, November 30, we received 76 phone calls on our helpline from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Those are non-duplicated calls (in other words, different people calling each time in that 4½ hour period). Some of them said that they have called before…one person as many as 4 times and she has yet to hear back from us.
We understand her frustration. But she is no more desperate than the other 75 people who called in that short period of time. We are challenged to sift through those calls (plus those yet to come in today) and choose which ones (usually between 5-7 clients) we feel to be the most urgent. It is a call that none of our caseworkers like to make. If we could we would gladly help every single person who came to us with a legitimate need.
Of the calls we have received so far, the overwhelming vast majority are from people suffering in one way or another from the pandemic. Either they have been quarantined or hospitalized with COVID and unable to work or they have lost their jobs entirely or their hours have been cut to the point where they can no longer afford to pay their rent. The decisions on who to help are painful ones that the caseworkers must make each day. We have never seen times like this in Midland before and we pray that we see better days soon.
The sole purpose of Helping Hands, the only reason this organization exists is to help those in need. The day that we no longer help will be the day that we no longer exist. And that day will come when you are no longer there to support us through your charitable donations. God bless you for all that you have done for us, and for those in need. You have truly blessed all of us!

This is just a reminder that our store will be closed from December 24th until January 2. During that time we will not have our trucks at St. Stephen’s for donations.

LAST WEEK TO VOTE FOR HELPING HANDS TO BE YOUR FAVORITE PERMIAN BASIN CHARITY. Log into www.city.bank/communityrewards anytime until Dec. 15 and vote for Helping Hands under Basic Human Needs category. You can vote once every hour. The top three winners in each category will receive a monetary rewards ranging from $7,000 to $500 courtesy of City Bank. Please vote as often as you can!