Putnam County Helping Hands needs your help through donations to drive its mission.
Helping Hands of Putnam County aids some 2,000 people each year. Interim Director Vicki Love said the organization asks for monetary donations and nonperishable items.
“People’s needs are year round,” Love said. “I know this brings it to mind. We are all supposed to remember how grateful we are and blessed that we are, but people need things in June, July and August just like they do right now.”
Love said some of the highest needs right now are canned goods and toilet paper. Love said if you decide on a money donation, the funds go to purchasing food through Second Harvest, utility bill assistance and more.
“We do help with some financial things with rent and utilities,” Love said. “People who have to go out of the county for medical care we can help them with gas. Non-addictive drugs we can help with those sometimes. We try to.”
Love said other items such as diapers, laundry detergent and more can all be helpful. Love said by donating, you can help give a hand up for someone financially struggling.
“What we are seeing more and more is that people who are working who have been sick for a week and face any financial crisis are in real need,” Love said. “If we can give them a few hundred dollars to keep them in their apartment, we’ve added one less homeless person in our community.”
Putnam County Helping Hands is located at 421 East Broad Street in Cookeville. Love said donations are accepted from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. daily. For money donations, the organization asks for a check.