Hands 4 Hope brings food, prayers on Christmas

Provided photo: Kellie Mata gives Aggie Recco a hug this morning at Lydun Drive Extension in Albion. The two volunteered with the Hands 4 Hope Ministry.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 December 2021 at 6:47 pm

ALBION – The Hands 4 Hope ministry has been bringing food and taking prayer requests the past six years.

The group alternates going to four locations the first four Saturdays each month. Today was the first time in the ministry’s history that the fourth Saturday fell on Dec. 25.

Jack Burris, leader of hands 4 Hope, considered taking the day off because it’s Christmas, not sure if there would be volunteers or people in the community who would stop by. He reached out to volunteers with Hands 4 Hope and they wanted to be out today at Lydun Drive Extension.

They were there from 10:30 a.m. to noon. A group of about 15 people quickly formed around the Hands 4 Hope truck at 10:30, with some of the local residents helping to unload the truck and set up totes with clothing and tables with food.

Hands 4 Hope also gave toys to children. The wrapped gifts were donated by the Albion Lions Club.

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Hands 4 Hope volunteer team today includes in front: Kellie Mata and Jack Burris. Back row: Randy LeBaron, Kevin Lemcke, Kathy Samborski, Aggie Recco and Neil Samborski.

Kevin Lemcke has been a steady volunteer with Jack Burris since the ministry started. Lemcke is there nearly every Saturday. He also helps clean the truck on Mondays and fill the bags with food. Hands 4 Hope gives out about 30 “shares” of food each week with bags of rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, green beans, corn, soap, toilet paper, crackers and peanut butter.

Hands 4 Hope was able to give out eggs, milk and veegtables that were donated by the Open Door mission in Rochester. Neil Samborski drove to Rochester to get those items.

Christine Bannister also stopped by this morning and donated Bannister beef from the livestock farm in Carlton.

The youth group at Grace Baptist Church in Brockport also filled 25 stockings for Hands 4 Hope to give to community members this morning.

“It’s a blessing,” Lemcke said about being in the ministry. “I love doing this and giving back. Every day I feel blessed.”

Kellie Mata drove from Batavia to volunteer today at Hands 4 Hope. She enjoys being part of the team of volunteers.

“They’re great people,” she said about the Hands 4 Hope volunteers. “It makes me have a smile on my face being around these guys.”

Signs on Lyndun Drive directed people to Hands 4 Hope.

The ministry also makes stops on Wednesdays from April through September.

Jack Burris said the truck today was hard to miss due to its loud exhaust. One local resident donated $60 to help fix the exhaust.

He thanked his understanding and supportive wife for her blessing in being out in the morning with Hands 4 Hope.

The Rev. Randy LeBaron, leader of Go Scatter Ministries, met with many residents, taking prayer requests.

He was impressed that so many of the people, despite the struggles in their own lives with poverty and health issues, were more focused on other people.

“They want to pray for others and help others,” LeBaron said.

For more on Hands 4 Hope, click here.