Handfuls of Purpose is a partnership opportunity between our local churches around our surrounding areas and Caring Heart Outreach. Handfuls of Purpose encourages attendees of our partner churches to be intentional about donating their gently used household items to Caring Heart Outreach, and weeding out broken items, items with missing parts, or not in good condition. Our outreach then returns gift cards to your church to help struggling individuals and families directly in your care. Donations given through this program will return vouchers to their home church in the form of gift cards to be used by those in need through the church’s benevolence fund. This will help more of our churches be able to either establish a benevolence program or INCREASE their existing program to help serve our communities— all without increasing their own budget.

Clothing, Shoes, Household Items, Kitchen items, Crafting Supplies, Toys, and Furniture with a Purpose. The revenue generated through the Caring Heart Thrift Store supports the ongoing ministries of Caring Heart Outreach. When you shop our thrift store, you not only benefit from great quality items, but you are making a difference in the lives of those that we serve with funding from our programs such as: Kelley’s Rainbow Domestic Violence Shelter, Marshall County Homeless Ministries, Lamplight teen camp, our very own Teen Pantry, Leadership Program, and our surrounding schools and communities as a whole.
Churches effectively increase what they are giving by asking their people to consciously give their used household goods to the Caring Heart Outreach. We turn those items into financial resources to use to help improve the lives of those in need in our communities AND help your church grow its benevolence outreach at the same time.

Many people give unwanted items based on convenience. They load up too-small clothes and outgrown toys in their cars and take them to the closest donation spot. Caring Heart wants to make those donations more about conscious giving, a modern rendition of the law on display in the book of Ruth, when a certain woman, named Ruth, was instructed by her mother-in-law to go and glean in a certain field. Boaz commanded … saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves … and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them.
Ruth 2:15-16 – Can you imagine harvesting from a field that has spoiled? It is the same with serving our communities with donations that aren’t in good condition. It takes a lot of time to sort, clean, and prepare items. If the items we receive are unfit for use, that takes away time and resources that could be used to help others and serve our communities.

Everybody is benefiting. You donate to the thrift store. The proceeds made by the thrift store support the missions of Caring Heart. The store creates jobs, job training, and volunteer opportunities to help others build work experience and work ethic. Donors know their gifts are going to be bought by families who can’t afford items at retail prices. The money raised goes back into the programs we have to serve our communities. The church the donor belongs to gets a benefit by having their benevolence fund enhanced.

Some churches may want to gather items as a congregation for the program at the change of the seasons or back to school, some contribute what's left from yard sales and some are willing to host food & hygiene drives throughout the year to make sure our area teens have what they need. 

Allow your excess to meet a need in the life of someone close by. This program is designed to equip churches with resources to make a difference and help the church increase its ability to help others with vouchers for essentials, without taking funding from the church.

How do I communicate the details of the program to my church?

We’ve made it easy. When church members contact us for information, we’ll give them materials to share the details of the program with their congregation. Whether posters, bulletin inserts, or social media graphics, we’ll give each member whatever materials they need to deliver the message in their church’s context. If you would like us to, we can also provide a speaker who can share about this and additional opportunities like donation drives, volunteer services, mentoring possibilities for our teen programs or other ways to get involved.

Our Thrift Store helps build a stronger, healthier community here in Marshall County and the surrounding areas:

• We provide job training and work experience for employees, volunteers, and community service workers.

• The revenue generated supports the ongoing work of our outreach for those who are abused, neglected, and often times forgotten or marginalized and teens who face food insecurity. 

• When you donate items, shop, or even volunteer, YOU’RE HELPING our struggling neighbors! 

Here’s how it works:

1. First, your church needs to be connected with us as a partner church. You can request more information by completing the form below.

2. Then, let your church family know about this wonderful opportunity! Encourage them to donate gently used items to Caring Heart Outreach.

3. When people donate, remind them to let the employees/volunteers know which church they want to designate to receive credit for the donation by providing the name of their church.

4. Each quarter, the church will receive a bundle of $25 gift cards at a rate of $5 for each donation made. Church staff can then give those to anyone in need who seeks assistance at their church.

5. This will help MANY of our churches meet the needs of those who come to them needing items, without the added stress of keeping a clothing closet on-site or increasing the church’s benevolence funding, while also ensuring that Caring Heart has the necessary donated items to fill the needs of those who have been given the vouchers.
   
   Would your church like more information about how to partner with Caring Heart Outreach by participating in our Handfuls of Purpose program? Submit the form below and we’ll contact you with more information.