Lend A Hand—About

Lend A Hand is a non-profit (501 C 3) organization founded in 1989 as a local disaster response and assistance program. The Mission and Purpose of Lend A Hand is to coordinate a reliable system of transportation, labor, housing and meals, and job assignments for volunteers who wish to help people suffering extraordinary hardship as the result of natural disasters.

We have been responding to natural disasters throughout the country since our inception. Over 3,000 volunteers have stepped forward to assist those in need. We have always worked to help the uninsured and the underinsured to recover their homes from the damage of wind, water and fire.
In brief, Lend A Hand:

Has no paid employees, we are all volunteers
Works out of donated offices provided by the Presbytery of Carlisle, and previously, the Pa. Christian Churches United offices.
Owns no office or other real property. All computers, office equipment, supplies and materials are donated to us
All financial donations are used to charter buses, house and feed volunteers, and purchase materials used in the reconstruction process.
We do not work on commercial structures, public buildings, or for-profit entities. We concentrate on those who are handicapped, elderly, lower income…all that needs a hand of compassion and caring.

In meeting these needs, we have responded to

Floods in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Dakota and Minnesota.
Tornado damage in Oklahoma
Blizzard damage in Pennsylvania
Fire in Pennsylvania
Hurricane recovery work in North and South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi

Since October, 2005, we have been sending a bus of 40 volunteers each month to D’Iberville, Mississippi to help in the Katrina recovery work. With the exception of July and August of 2006, buses are scheduled through June 2007. September, October and January buses are already filled!

As a disaster assistance program, we do NOT provide rapid response or medical triage activities. These works are the prevue of FEMA, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. We, rather, are the second level of response…

We “muck out” or remove debris, damaged furniture, carpeting, sheetrock, insulation, and utilities
We move to the curbside all materials not salvageable as keepsakes
We reconstruct houses, including all aspects of home construction from sub flooring to roofs
We re-landscape
We restore dreams, listen, pray, console and encourage

In summary, Lend A Hand missions exemplify the ‘Many hands make light work’ philosophy. Although volunteers may begin their journey as strangers, a lifelong friendship and bonding occurs during the work week both with their fellow volunteers and with the host families they assist. It is a life changing, spiritually rewarding, ‘faith journey’ for most of the volunteers.