EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the correct contact phone number for Helping Hands.
On Saturday, Dec. 9, in the cold morning air, several community members gathered on North Moniteau Avenue to finish installing much-needed repairs to a man's home. But this wasn't the only home they were working on; they would be visiting and working on two additional homes that day. These people, known as Helping Hands, are making neighborhoods a better place to live.
In the last year, the nonprofit group has increased in the size of its volunteers and in the number of homes it's refurbishing. Each home in the program is considered by Helping Hands due to City of Sedalia code violations. Often, the home in ill-repair can't be fixed by the homeowner due to financial or health reasons. That's where Helping Hands steps in. Tammy Lewis came up with the idea for the project in November 2022. Since then, the group has formed a board, is planning to become a 501(c)3, and is looking for additional volunteers.
On Saturday, Board President Traves Williams and members Jethro Christopherson, Wayne Rhoads, Tom Beatty, Nathan Cornine, Sharyn Fante-Hession, and Stephen Hession were working on the homes. Judge Paul Beard, Carl McCollum, Shawn Frye, and Lewis were not able to attend.
Williams said the first project was started by Lewis, who wanted to help a woman with her home on Second Street.
"We started out by cleaning her yard," he explained. "Because that was the first (code) violation. And then she (Lewis) said, 'We should do something like this for the community,' and I called Paul (Beard)."
Beatty explained Beard's role as a Pettis County associate judge for the 18th Judicial Circuit Court.
"He gets code enforcement violators and people that have been cited," Beatty noted. "So, he assesses them during the hearing. And either they can't afford it or they're disabled.
"So, he brings those people to our board meetings," he continued. "And then that's how we decide who we can help."
He added the home on North Moniteau was a big project. The owner is disabled, in a wheelchair, and was living in the home without heat. Helping Hands received a USDA grant of $10,000 to work on the home, which needed a furnace, 14 new windows, guttering, new porch posts, painting, roof work, and a built-in covering for the basement access.
The group also receives referrals from community members who know individuals needing help with their homes.
"We go look, and if we can afford it, we get it done," Beatty said.
Fante-Hession noted she was at a Sedalia/Pettis County Chapter of the NAACP meeting when Williams was the guest speaker.
"And he put forward the idea that we could use volunteers," she added. "He wanted the NAACP to know they're here if anyone needs any help, but they would love some volunteers. That's how I met Traves."
She went home and told her husband, Steven, about Helping Hands, and they both agreed to become volunteers.
Fante-Hession added that besides receiving grants, Helping Hands also accepts monetary donations, which helps fund the program.
"It's getting better," Beatty said. "At first, we were really struggling because we had a lot of people who needed help, and we could do it. But we just didn't have the funds."
Williams said it's important to emphasize that Rhoads is extremely helpful with the projects. Rhoads, a retired contractor, obtains building supplies from Lowe's, which donates them. He then loads up the supplies and brings them to the project sites.
"He has just about everything we need or knows where to get it," Beatty added.
Fante-Hession said the family of the late Marge Harlan also contributed to Helping Hands.
"At her funeral, the family requested that any memorial donations go to Helping Hands," she explained. "Because when I was working with her daughter at the (Rose Nolan) Library, I told her about Helping Hands, she was fascinated and said, 'We want to do this for you guys.'"
Williams added Habitat for Humanity donated $15,000 to Helping Hands, which became the group's "seed money."
So far in the last year, the group has helped with eight homes. But they have an ongoing list of homes with code violations they plan to work on.
Helping Hands has five wheelchair ramps that members need to build and install. The ramps will be made at one of Rhoads's shops. The group noted that West-Central Independent Living Solutions, or WILS of Sedalia, is helping fund the ramp project.
Williams acknowledged city code enforcement officers Chris Balance, Alex Barr, Mason Mateja, and James Denny, who have turned in cases to Helping Hands. He noted they're thankful the men brought cases to their attention.
Helping Hands is seeking volunteers and board members. It meets at 5:15 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1201 W. Broadway Blvd. For more information, call Williams at 660-553-1871.
Faith Bemiss-McKinney can be reached at 660-530-0289.
