Every so often, everyone needs a helping hand, whether it be emotionally, financially, physically, or by some other way.
And in Olney, there’s a place that provides all of the above, and is based on the helping hand that those of the Christian faith believe to be the superior “help”: through the “master’s hands.”
The Master’s Hands in Olney is a not-for-profit organization that opened its doors to the public on August 22, 2011. Set up to help those who are in need, and based on deep Christian faith, the volunteers are now headed into their fourth year and knowledge of their presence is growing.
The group’s first act of charity came a week after that August 2011 date with their first food distribution day. Three volunteers provided the wherewithal to start it up, securing the building at 704 S. Whittle Ave., Olney on a five-year no-charge lease. At that time there were already 24 households enrolled to receive food, with a Wednesday morning Bible study. That lease has since been extended until 2024.
Their volunteers come from all different backgrounds and they have various churches representing them as well as those who do not attend church. They also work with the Richland County probation office and have community service workers for those who need community service time to work off as part of their sentencing in Richland County Circuit Court, viable community service being something that at times is difficult to find in the downstate circuits. The Master’s Hands has a group of home school young adults, as well as many others who just want to serve others in the name of Jesus and are looking for new volunteers to come join them in serving the community.
The idea behind The Master’s Hands vision was to have a place where the poor, lost, lonely, hurting, drug addicts, alcoholics and needy could come and be loved as Jesus loved them…plus, to have a place where the coffee is hot, the tea cold, and the snacks are plentiful, all at no charge.
The Master’s Hands mission statement is “showing the love of Jesus by sharing the Word of God and feeding the hungry.”
From time to time they receive perishable food items that they share with other 501c3 (non-profit) groups (which makes them eligible to organize any one or more of the following purposes: “charitable, religious, educational,” ect.), such as: Oblong Children’s Christian Home in Oblong; Clay County Food Pantry in Flora; Sign of the Kingdom in West Sumner; Senior Centers in Olney and Mt. Carmel; Hope Center in Albion; Head Start and SWAN in Olney; ZUM Food Program in West Salem; Mt. Erie Nazarene Church; Enduring Freedom Ministries in Effingham; House of Hope in Hidalgo; Hope House in Allendale; Bread of Life in Lynnville, Ind.; MidWest Food in Bloomington; and others.
The Master’s Hands has also started a ‘Rooted in Christ’ community garden that is located at 401-405 West South Street in Olney, where people will learn to grow their own food, share in their labor and “seeds of the Good News will be sown in the hearts of all those who will come,” according to organizers.
There is a second Master’s Hands location in Jasper County that was opened in the spring of 2013 and is located on the square at 106 South Van Buren Street, with a mailing address as P.O. Box 92, Newton, Ill. They are open Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Monday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. You can contact the Jasper County location by email newtonmasterhands@yahoo.com or by phone 618-783-2955.
There have been a total of 1,307 families served and 3,923 family members served in Olney. There are eight scheduled pick-ups of food received per week, with an average of 2.5 other pick-ups.
Master’s Hands is currently working on several projects, one being a ‘Backpack Children’s Weekend Lunch Program’ for the children of Richland County schools who are on free or reduced lunches. This project was expected to have its start June 6, with three locations in Richland County where the backpacks can be picked up in the summer. That project’s annual cost will be about $35,000.
A 53-foot trailer has already been purchased and will be installed, equipped with a heater and air conditioner, shelving and a loading dock for the storage of backpack food, laundry soap and paper products. This projected cost to complete it will be $4,000.
A walk-in refrigerator and freezer have been installed and are in use at this time; all that remains with this project is to install a curtain in the freezer and pay approximately $8,000 for the work.
Another project is a women’s shelter located at 420 West Chestnut Street in Olney, which is currently being remodeled. Their goal is to have it completed sometime in 2015 and the shelter house will be available to women who want to help themselves and are seeking shelter in a time of need. The projected cost for the shelter house will be approximately $50,000.
Recently a ‘Rock The Rails’ (so named because the location sits right on the rail line through Olney) outdoor Christian concert was held May 23, in front of The Master’s Hands building, which took place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Donations were given upon entry to the concert, where groups including Restoration Band, The Jeff Higginson Band and Ravenhill were playing. There was also food available at a very low price. The Rock The Rails concert raised over $1,000.
The Master’s Hands coffee shop in Olney is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., then on Monday they are open from 2 to 4 p.m. They are also open on the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and each Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The perishable food distribution is during the same days and times as the coffee shop, with the exception of their Bible study times and food-distributing days. Perishable food items are given to all people when they are available.
They also have Bible studies available on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and the ‘Godsippers’ Women’s Bible Study is held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
The Master’s Hands future plans include opening a service-training program along with a thrift store that will enable it to become self-sustaining or almost self-sustaining.
“The schools are doing a good job, but there is a need for training that is not being filled,” organizers told Disclosure. People will be training to be short order cooks, waiters, sales clerks, appliance repair, janitorial duties, sewing, ect. “In order to carry out a project on this scale it will take the backing of the community.”
To contact The Master’s Hands by phone 618-392-0414. Beverly Ziegler is the director and Sherri Gibson is the assistant director.