Hands Extended provides help to many

As a longtime volunteer with Hands Extended (the other charity that is sometimes confused with Helping Hands), I felt I had to respond to the letter from the director of Helping Hands.

Both charities are wonderful organizations, but they are also different.

Hands Extended was founded by Sherry Whitworth approximately 14 years ago as a small charity. We started by collecting unsold items from other garage sales. It was a hard job to go to all those garage sales and pick and choose the ones we wanted. We would go pick up the items, getting together once a week to sort, clean, price and organize the items so we could have our garage sales. All the money went back into the charity. No one was paid, not even Sherry. Sometimes, this took several days to get ready for the sale. After the sale, all the leftovers had to be stored away to await the next sale.

It took us many years until we had enough money to rent a building for the Thrift Store. As it grew in popularity, it also outgrew the building. Last October, we were fortunate enough to buy a building that was not only bigger but in a better location.

We are a registered corporation and a federally registered 5013C charity. Our mission is to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves, through education, so they in turn can lift others.

We recycle our inventory and give to other organizations who have their own sales to raise money.

Here are some of the organizations we help: Right Turn for Vets, SDA Community Center, Random Acts of Kindness, RAC, Tier Drop, Yuma Safe House, Kings Kids, Emmanuel Southern Baptist Church, Echo Ministries and HELP Extended.

We also supply scholarships for local university students in need.

As you can see, without our wonderful customers, donors and volunteers, we could not do what we do. We help many people with many things. We always welcome volunteers and donations. We have a great group of people who volunteer their precious time so that we can be the success that we are. We are located at 13341 S. Frontage Road, phone 928342-1210. YVONNE CROWLEY Foothills