Big response to Red Jacket Rally through Hands 4 Hope

About 100 people seek winter clothes during event in Albion

Photo courtesy of Jack Burris: Hands 4 Hope made jackets, boots, gloves and other winter clothing available on Sunday in a Red Jacket Rally after a Spanish-speaking Mass at Holy Family Parish in Albion.

ALBION – The Hands 4 Hope ministry has been offering prayers and food for nine years now, making Saturday morning stops in Albion, Holley and Medina.

Hands 4 Hope has added winter coats, boots, hats and gloves to that effort with monthly Red Jacket rallies.

Jack Burris, the Hands 4 Hope founder and leader, decided to focus a Red Jacket Rally on the Spanish-speaking population of the community. The rally was held this past Sunday after a Spanish-speaking Mass at Holy Family Parish. Burris and a team of volunteers set up outside the church with the clothes on racks and tables.

About 100 people were able to take clothing with the cold weather around the corner.

Hands 4 Hope typically does a Red Jacket Rally the third Thursday in September, October and November. There is another one planned for Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at Evans Ace Hardware, 342 East Center St., Medina.

Hands 4 Hope welcomes donated jackets, from children to adult sizes, as well as boots, hats and gloves. They can be dropped off inside the Arnold Gregory Office Complex in Suite 174 at 243 S Main St., Albion.

Photos by Tom Rivers: These tables have kid-size boots and other winter clothing. This photo was taken after about 100 people went through, picking out coats and other winter apparel.

Hands 4 Hope has already given away 459 coats since Sept. 1, passing the 407 distributed last year from September through the end of December.

Emily Kwiatkowski, the director of discipleship and mission at ONE Catholic, said the parish welcomed the chance to partner with Hands 4 Hope for the Red Jacket Rally.

“There is a very widespread need among the Hispanic community for a wide variety of things,” Kwiatkowski said.

Father Mark Noonan, pastor at ONE Catholic, did a promo of the Red Jacket Rally, speaking in Spanish in a Facebook post, encouraging people to stop by for the winter clothing.

Burris said he was thrilled to see the donated clothing be put to good use, and to send a message to the immigrants and others that the local community values them.

Hands 4 Hope typically sets up away from churches. But this time was stationed outside Holy Family Parish.

“Many people steer clear of churches for a variety of reasons,” he said.

Through the food, clothes and prayers offered by Hands 4 Hope, “they know God loves them through the community,” Burris said.

Jack Burris, right, founded Hands 4 Hope nine years ago. He appreciates the community’s continued donations towards the ministry.