Caring Hands Sharing God's Goods

About Our Founder

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Helen Shuler received the 2011 Harry Denman Laity Evangelism Award from the South Carolina Annual Conference. Helen is one of 15 members of St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Ridgeland, SC. With Helen's leadership, this small group runs a food bank for their low-income neighborhood with distribution days every Monday and Thursday. On the Thursday in September that Helen called us, they had served over 100 people. She spoke lovingly of the diversity of the people who come to the food bank. Even over the phone her joy to be serving her Lord in this way was contagious. She loves helping people and gives God the glory and praise for meeting the needs of neighbors who have nowhere else to turn. "God just keeps providing for us", she says with great joy. 

 

Helen is one of nine siblings, one of seven still living today. At a time years ago when both her Mom and her daughter were very ill, Helen prayed for them to live and promised God she would serve in any way He asked. Both lived and Helen's promise to God is being fulfilled daily. As stated in Helen's nomination form, "She's made the food bank her life's work . . . albeit unpaid . . . to give to others in the spirit that He gives to His people. It continues to grow and so does Shuler's faith."

 

The food bank was started by giving food from the trunk of a car, then from her front porch, then the sanctuary of the church and now a metal building at the church (1). Helen's wish is for a larger building so more people can be served.  Though they serve two days each week, the volunteers are busy the rest of the week collecting food and other donations throughout the community. In this way, the food bank has become a community ministry, reaching far beyond the door fo St. Stephen's Church.

 

Many of the volunteers have been in need and faced struggles in their own lives. The food bank gives them an opportunity to help others as they have been helped, sharing not only the food but also smiles, love, joy and perhaps most important of all, hope.

 

The church may seem small, the volunteers few, but many, many people are being blessed by Helen Shuler and this group who have become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to their neighbors who are in need.

 

(Some content provided by Jessica Connor, The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate)

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(1) In May of 2015 a new 14' x 56' brand new modular building was purchased through grants and donations to store and disseminate the large volume of food necessary to serve this community.