The Good Samaritan
Thanksgiving Christmas 2025 issue
Thanksgiving time is on us soon to be followed by Christmas, and it is truly the time of year to take a few moments to give thanks for all the blessings we have received and share those with others.
I want to begin this newsletter by giving thanks for all those who have become our friends or shared needed items through us for so many in real need. We received a total of $500 in funds which we set aside to meet needs when the items are simply not available. Many of you have reached out to us through neighborhoods website and given clothing, food, and other things, each has been a real blessing to others.
We recently began to work with a local rehab / nursing home and spend time each week with those in their care. Many of these where homeless and placed there after Elgin had to take actions to close tent cities. It is truly touching to see the changes that come from taking time for others. Many are lonely, still in need of personal items like socks, underwear, and the like.
I am making blankets again (my fall winter project) this year and have produced five twin sized blankets to date which will be added to others we have to help meet others needs. If any of you knit or crochet, I invite you to make a few blankets or scarves for those in need. (locally made can be picked up by us at no charge).
Christmas this year will see us visiting many shut ins and facilities where the plan is to give each a Christmas card, blessing, and a blanket or scarf. In years past, I have found that it is the personal time spent with each of those we reach that means the most to them. (so much so that it has often left me weeping as I leave, simply realizing how precious each has been).
We are still seeking people with the skills to do grant writing and praying for a retail space to use in helping others. Please pray with us for this.
Now is yet another opportunity to give. Cash funds, no matter how large or small are needed (and tax deductible). Our in kind needs are an easy and safe way to help meet needs. Just go to our in kind page and follow the link, all the information is there and if you mark these as gifts you can send us a card with your information so we can properly acknowledge your gift.
Garden news: This years garden raised 25 gal bags of cilantro, twelve gal bags of loose leaf lettuce, some 10 bushels of tomatoes and peppers, seven bushels of yellow squash and five zucchini. We also gave out 30 bags of herbs such as Basel, rosemary, sage, oregano, chives, and green onion. We produce an abundance of green beans and Lima beans totaling more than 50 gal bags of each. Remember, this all comes from one yard, one garden, one person working it. How much more could be done if others did the same?
Clothing???? Open Hand Elgin accepts all types of gently used / good condition clothing for men, women, youth, and children. We are always in need of adult diapers, gloves, hats, and warm scarves. Socks and boxers remain our most requested items and will only be given out if they are new still packaged.
Coordinating our efforts with other local groups has helped us get more out to those in need in a timely manner. Each group shares both its largest unmet needs and items it has in abundance so more can be accomplished in meeting the needs here at home.
The Future:
do you know of a local church building or warehouse that is not in use? We are praying for a space in which we can provide shelter and hot meals to those in need. (often times needs are not met because no one asked).
Veterans have always been special people (being one myself) and a large part of why we separated our activities and created the CM Ministry division of Open Hand Elgin. Providing bereavement services, funerals, wakes, and grave side for Veterans and their families at no charge is just the start. In need Veterans receive top priority with us. We provide honors ceremonies, pow/mia ceremonies, and other special group activities for veterans in rehab and nursing facilities.
At this time of year, it is so important that each of us share in some way (our blessings) with others. Please consider some type of support as we continue to meet the needs right here in Elgin.
Lastly: I want to share my heart with you all. God has said that if we (two or more) pray or claim anything in His Name, he will be with us and He promises to meet our needs. Elgin is in great need for shelter space and one large enough to provide a two year second chance program. You all understand our need for shelter, but in Gods grace, we need to provide a fresh start for many who have been left behind, forgotten, and are lost.
Providing a real opportunity to start fresh and become a truly productive part of our community is our end goal. We start by giving someone a fish, then we teach them to fish so they can provide not only for themselves but others still in need.
I believe with all my heart that a currently unused space, in a church, storefront, or warehouse is waiting to find new life and use as a means of supporting our community. Someone out there has this space and with your prayerful support, God will provide.
Newsletter
The Good Samaritan
Fall 2025 issue
In each edition of this newsletter, we hope to share some of the uplifting stories of our client family, thank contributors, and tell you about our goals, activities, and events. Please consider getting involved with us by contributions (both in kind and financially) lending physical support, and above all keeping our ministry and client family in your prayers.
Something Old... When I first started reaching out to those in need, I worked with Rainbow Hospice. I ended this after a move and physical issues I needed to deal with at the time. Now, seeing so many of those in need being placed in institutional care and in the desire “they not be left behind”, I have connected with one such facility and am again spending one day each week doing one on one visitation and preparing to do Veterans Honors to better support and comfort this group of people.
Many of those who had even the smallest assistance via public aid or Social Security were wintered in such rehab and nursing facilities and are now institutionalized under their care in order to provide them shelter and some type of meal. The rehab center does not have the funds to do much more for these individuals but has graciously accepted them and does provide some social support. (remember, again this is an unpaid amount of time and active support that is unpaid).
The growing season is now all but over and I can now report some 80+ bags of herbs, huge amounts of green beans, Lima beans, lettuce, squash and more have been harvested and given to local food banks and out to those who need fresh produce for a balanced meal. We will be extending the garden space again prior to next years growing season in the hopes of being able to provide even more help to others.
We continue to provide assistance and transportation to our client family to the food pantry, social services, etc where needed and have provided a bike to one individual who was in need of one to provide a means of transportation in the hopes of getting a job.
Hardships remind us that even the best things we do come with a cost. We are in great need of funders and contributions to insure we are able to take the next big step in renting a storefront or industrial space. This will provide a seen place for those in need to come to for help. It will give us space needed to gather and get items out to those in greatest need and permit us to provide more services, day and night shelters, a safe place for them to relax and open many more doors for serving others.
We need volunteers to help write grants and apply for funding. We simply can not provide more without it. If you are interested in this type of support, (with or without experience) please contact us and together, we can make it happen.
Clothing needs: many of those in need, find having and keeping clean serviceable bedding and clothing to be one of the greatest challenges. With little to no means of keeping their current clothing clean, much of these items become disposable and are discarded. (people simply will not wear clothing that is stained or filthy.)
Until we have a facility and washer / dryers available, there is always a need for clothes and bedding. Again we are praying for a storefront or space where these services can be supplied.
We have had several blessings of clothing (children's, women's, and men's) given to us and passed on to those in need. We thank you for this support and ask that you continue to keep these needs in mind. One area under this is the need for suitable clothing for work. Many of those in need when ready to assume a job, need the clothing to do so in a dignified way. These items are often set aside just for that purpose and we are in need of more of them.
Client stories:
Sam: found himself in an odd position. He had a potential roommate who wanted to share expenses. In preparation, he sold or gave away most of his belongings including his bedding. At the last minute, plans fell through and he found himself reaching out for bedding, and food in order to get through the month. We stepped in and got his needs met so he could continue to have an independent life.
Friendless: They are all around us. So many of those lives we touch are alone, lonely, and forgotten. Above the physical needs in their lives is the greatest need for caring support. Many are searching for someone who simply care and will listen to them. Even a few moments at a time, repeated, can lend security and support. Each fall, many people focus of mental health. This starts with the understanding that those in need are real people and worthy of love and support that comes freely. You can be a part of this with a simple smile, a nod, or kind word. Remember you are the only Christ others will see in this life. A smile and acknowledgment lifts ones spirit and can change their entire day.
Needs: This months focus needs are on hygiene products. Please visit the gifts in kind section of the web site for ways you can help.
NEWSLETTER
The Good Samaritan
Welcome to the first edition of the Good Samaritan. In each edition of this newsletter, we hope to share some of the uplifting stories of our client family, thank contributors, and tell you about our goals, activities, and events. Please consider getting involved with us by contributions (both in kind and financially) lending physical support, and above all keeping our ministry and client family in your prayers.
We all see the great need of others all around us. Homelessness, hunger, physical impairments, and more, which cause a need for support, and the need caused by mental illness and substance abuse. Each of us are empathetic and here at Open Hand Elgin we take action. Be it something simple like providing a few meals to feed others, filling gaps not met by other groups or agencies, or connecting our client family with agencies in the community.
Above all, We believe creating a relationship with others opens the door to trust and means of changing lives. Positive, non-judgmental support is at our core. A caring ear, a supportive attitude, and a loving heart permits change that works.
Your donation of finances, items needed, and volunteers are important....
​
Our Goals
Our immediate goal is to have a storefront location from which to serve others. At present, we are unseen and without a brick and mortar presence. This creates a greater need for word of mouth and a lot more work to make contact and meet the great need. We hope to gain funding that will put us in a storefront and give us room to store and distribute needed items, do case management, and provide services such as wash / dry clothing, recharge cell phones, provide a warming / cooling space, and distribute mid-day meals. If the space permits we would add several individual shower rooms to give houseless individuals a means of keeping clean.
Our long range goals include a much larger space to house a shelter and put our second chance program into action. This program is designed to work in much the same way as the teen challenge program. Identifying need and areas of lack such as English speaking skills, teaching personal finance and budgeting, experience in hospitality, and internships / apprentice-ship in local industry, allowing people a true second chance at becoming a productive member of the community and continued support. This space could be a church, large warehouse, office building etc
Immediate needs:
Many of our client family are in need of basic items, many of which are in short supply or unavailable at this time. Here is a list of some of those items.
Black socks
colored boxers
personal hygiene items
batteries
1 lb propane tanks
ladies underwear
this months featured need: body wipes (10 pack)
​
Easily found on Amazon. These are large body wipes packaged in 10 wipes each.
The reason for use of these instead of the larger roll or canister wipes is that they dry out easy and long before one individual can use them, and the small packs are easier to carry.
Meeting simple immediate needs opens the door to start a trusting relationship that builds confidence, self worth, dignity, and allows us to work towards helping individuals make better life choices that given them a second chance in life. They are no longer alone and have an open hand to grab a hold of for support. We will walk with them.
Stories (remember all names are fictitious to protect our clients)
Mo is a man caught in addiction. He has no means of support and no home, and was befriended at a time his heart was hard and it took repeated small interactions to grow trust. With our support, he broke free from his addiction and ended up starting his own business and getting married. Today, he not only supports his wife, but has regained the loving trust of his family has moved to WV to provide for his aged patients and give back to that community.
Duke was (as we say) houseless in Elgin. He had lived on the streets for well over 3 years, and could be seen on a street corner pan handling for the funds needed to buy a hamburger each day. Our relationship with him went from giving him some change to buying him meals. After our relationship with him grew, He was taken in by a supporter where he got away from addition, and eventually became a supportive member of his community.
Nancy is a senior who contacted us to donate some clothing to those in need. She had no means of transporting them to us due to a broken knee. We gladly went to pick them up only to find that she had little to no support from family, had been eating takeout only, and was depressed and lonely. We fixed her phone, brought her meals, and provided caring support and loving friendship. (this case is still ongoing)
Dan is legally blind and was houseless. He got temporary housing (a grant through the city of Elgin) at a nursing home. He had no financial means of support, needed further nutrition, and was washing his only pair of underwear in the shower each night. We met the needs, took him to the food bank each week, cooked meals for him, and got him working on getting his disability upgraded, snap benefits, etc. His case is ongoing and now has goals of obtaining housing, and means of self support.
Paul is a men who lives nearby. Paul has major shoulder issues, he can no longer mow their grass and through providing such simple services, great supportive relationships have developed.