Helping Hands Program helps feed children in the New Madrid community

Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Mary Lois Henry, left, a volunteer with the New Madrid Baptist Church, and Caleb McHaffie, a volunteer from the First Assembly of God in Sikeston, load a vehicle with food as part of the Helping Hands program. The program provides a gallon of milk, five snacks and five suppers for each child in a household between the ages of 3 and 18. The food is given away each Thursday at the New Madrid Baptist Church's parking lot from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Jill Bock/Standard Democrat

NEW MADRID, Mo. - The cars and trucks begin lining up at the New Madrid Baptist Church parking lot early each Thursday afternoon. For the past year, the church has served as part of Helping Hands, a program designed to help families feed their children during the trying times brought on by a pandemic, job losses and school closures.

Laura McVey, a member of the First Baptist Church congregation and coordinator for the local program, explained the church was contacted by the Sikeston Assembly of God Church, which is coordinating the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Helping Hands program in several area communities. She said the members of her church readily agreed to provide volunteers and their parking lot where vehicles could drive through.

Rain or shine for the past year, the volunteers arrive each Thursday. From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. they offer smiles and hellos as they load a gallon of milk, seven snacks and seven suppers for each child between ages 3 and 18 in a family in the vehicles.

“It is probably my best day of the week,” McVey said about her volunteer duties. “I get so much joy out of it.”

According to McVey, those picking up the food include parents and grandparents. Even neighbors have pitched in to help neighbors, she said.

The number of recipients varies depending on the weather and the time of year. At New Madrid they have provided food to as many as 130. On a recent Thursday, there were 60 sets of meals and snacks given away.

McVey said the food is filling stomachs and a real need.

“There is so much food insecurity especially with kids. We do see a need. We see people every week. We don’t ask any questions. There is not any income guidelines or those kind of things. Anybody can come,” she said.

In addition to the volunteers from the Sikeston Assembly of God who bring the food and milk to New Madrid, McVey is joined by four to eight volunteers each Thursday from the New Madrid Baptist Church.

Despite some broken ribs, Mary Lois Henry had taken her place next to the food boxes.

“I feel like I’m helping somebody,” Henry said. “Plus it gives me something to do, too. I am one of these people who has to be busy all the time.”

McVey said the current program is winding down. However, she added, they are already talking about the possibility of extending it through the summer.

She praised the Sikeston First Assembly of God’s efforts to help those in need. “They have just a great heart for giving back to the community. They have done a terrific job. If they see a need they try to meet that need,” she said.

Although she has had to brave ice storms and rain storms, McVey said she always looks forward to her time with the program and helping others.

“We try to give them a blessing,” she said. “My belief is anytime you are giving somebody else a blessing, you are receiving a blessing. So I really feel like I am getting a blessing every Thursday afternoon.”

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: