Hand of Hope: Where Everyone Is Welcome
"Everyone Welcome" — and they mean every word of it. The Hand of Hope Multi-Purpose Center in Cordele.
Our next stop took us to Hand of Hope, and what a place it turned out to be! Founded by Donna Stripling, Hand of Hope is proof of just how far a little bit of faith and a lot of heart can travel.
It Started Small
Here's the part we love most: this full-fledged community center started about as humbly as you can imagine. Donna — who also owns Carter Burgers right there in Cordele — simply set aside a little space in a trailer behind her restaurant. She used it to hold prayer time and teach Bible lessons, and that was that.
Except it wasn't! That small, faithful beginning grew and grew until it became the Hand of Hope Multi-Purpose Center we got to visit today.
Shelves stocked and smiles ready — the heart of Hand of Hope
So Much More Than a Pantry
While Hand of Hope keeps those pantry shelves full, it does far more than hand out groceries. A thrift store helps support the whole mission, and three paid staff members keep things humming along day to day.
But here's where it really got us: behind the building, they've built shed-style rooms to give people experiencing homelessness a safe place to stay — plus a shower house, so folks can hold onto their hygiene and their dignity. It's practical, hands-on love, exactly where it's needed most.
A safe place to land. These little shelters offer rest, dignity, and a fresh start.
A Trusted Neighbor
Hand of Hope has become such a steady presence that local authorities regularly call on them in emergencies — for food, for transportation, or for a hot meal when someone's in urgent need. When the community needs a helping hand, they know exactly where to turn.
Faith is woven through all of it. Monday through Friday, from noon to 1:00 p.m., Hand of Hope holds a daily Bible study open to everyone they serve — a warm, steady rhythm of encouragement right in the middle of the day.
And their volunteers? Many of them come through the "Able Body, Able to Work" program, where folks receiving assistance give back by completing 80 hours of work each month. It's a beautiful little circle — people helped today becoming the helping hands of tomorrow.
Many hands, one hope. The people who keep this mission moving.
Why This Stop Stuck With Us
From a trailer behind a burger joint to a center the whole community leans on — Hand of Hope is a wonderful reminder that you don't need to start big. You just need to start. Donna and her team took one small, faithful step, and look what grew from it.
We left grateful, encouraged, and pretty well convinced that the sign out front says it all: everyone welcome. 🙌