How We Help
The ministry of Christ's Hands has been graciously blessed by God to serve countless families and the mission of the Kingdom for 27 years. Here are just some of the ways we help out.
New Covenant Kitchen
We are here to meet the needs of the community. A hot meal is available Monday through Friday at 5pm and the last Sunday of the month. We also have volunteers who deliver meals to shut ins and those who are not able to make it in to the kitchen. Since 1998 the soup kitchen has served over 750,000 meals.
Emergency Food Pantry
The Harlan County Emergency Food Pantry has provided over 40,000 boxes of food to those in need. Currently it is open the 3rd Monday and Tuesday each month. Visitors if they choose don't have to leave the comfort of their vehicles as we provide a drive-thru outside and will also load the food into their vehicle. Those seeking assistance need to bring a valid form of ID and proof of residence in Harlan County.
Warming Center
During 2001 Christ's Hands opened the first homeless shelter in Harlan County and has housed more than 50,000 night stays. This service to the community has changed in various ways over the years and currently partners with Harlan Emergency Management to provide services. In 2016 we began operating a warming center where those in need can find relief from the cold during the night. The warming center is open from December 1st - February 28th.
Food Distribution
Christ's Hands started its distribution ministry in December of 2015 in partnership with Midwest Food Bank. God has done amazing things since then through this program. We have installed a 40x15 walk in freezer, a 12x12 walk in cooler, and a 15x15 root cellar. This is the first time Christ's Hands has been capable of handling bulk frozen, refrigerated and cool temperature crops. We are seeing more need met throughout the county and the region. Just as important we get the privilege of working with many different churches from a variety of denominational backgrounds.
Christ's Hands is receiving approximately 20,000 pounds of food a month and dividing that into 15 pantries including our own. Of these, one is in Letcher County, one is in Bell County, while the rest serve various areas of Harlan County. We expect to see growth in the number of pantries we can include as sources of food become more available.
If you're interested in helping with this vital ministry of feeding the less fortunate, contact us for how to become involved.
Radio Transmitter
Christ's Hands owns a transmitter license to rebroadcast on 106.7 FM. We are currently partnering with WUIC 102.5 FM in reaching the residents of Harlan County with Christian music and teaching.
WUIC seeks to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, inviting all to experience his unconditional love and grow in a deeper relationship with him. Based upon a foundation of four pillars - Prayer, evangelization, teaching, and healing, our work seeks to reflect authentic Biblical teachings and to appeal to all ages and groups.
Hospitality Center
For missionaries who come to Harlan County to advance the Kingdom, it is our desire to provide the Hospitality Center free of charge. This can significantly lower the cost of their trips and allow their investment to be directly invested in the work.
We can hold groups up to 100 or single families. There are separate men's and women's hallways each with its own bathroom area. The halls sleep 40 each. Also we have 7 family rooms available that accommodate family units of 2, 4, 4, and 5, member families. We have been hosting a missionary teams monthly since the Spring of 2016. If you would like to learn more about the Hospitality Center accommodations and booking, please contact us or submit a reservation form online by clicking the button.
Feed the Hunger Partnership
Mission Statement: Feeding the spiritual and physical hunger in the needy
The partnership between Christ's Hands and Feed the Hunger brings nutritional meals to more people in Harlan County, mainly our youth. We started working together with the FRYSC centers utilizing their backpack programs to distribute these packets of food in every school in the county.
Feed the Hunger is an evangelical mission organization that connects people with strategic leaders domestically and overseas to help people in spiritual and physical need. We have a particular emphasis on Christian leaders who are seeking to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Feed the Hunger equips these leaders to feed spiritual hunger with tools like Bibles, community centers/church buildings, bicycles, and micro-enterprise projects. Physical hunger is met through the provision of nutritious food, clean water, and emergency aid and relief. If you also have a hunger in your heart to make a difference in people's lives, to make a difference for eternity, you can impact the lives of the hungry here in America and around the world by participating in food packing events called Packathons (everyone is welcome to participate!) going on a domestic or overseas mission trip and investing resources.
And more to come..
Christ's Hands is always reaching for every opportunity to serve, comfort, and lift up our neighbors. As our resources grow, so does our ability to show kindness in new ways. We would be honored for you to join us in this work and help extend that reach even further. "Let all that you do be done in love." - 1 Corinthians 16:14
