About Hand in Hand

Our Story

As told by our Founder, Melissa France,

February 2022

My story is how, by God’s grace, I followed a calling to serve and formed Hand in Hand Ministry.

In the spring of 2020, while running errands, I decided to look for a restaurant I had heard made great hamburgers in an outlying community. I never found the restaurant that day. Instead, I discovered areas of extreme poverty just a short distance from my home.
For whatever reason, seeing these families that day became real to me in a way it never had before. It shook me to my core, and I could not stop thinking about the children and families I had seen.

This was early in the COVID-19 pandemic. I worried about how these families would cope. We were all experiencing difficult circumstances, but I knew these families would be affected even more deeply.

I kept asking myself, how could I help?

I knew I wanted to provide food and basic necessities, but I needed a way to reach the families who needed them. Many lived in isolated neighborhoods and lacked reliable transportation, making traditional resources such as food banks difficult to access.
After some research and several phone calls, I connected with a Spartanburg County school district social worker. The district welcomed our help.

I asked friends to donate non-perishable food, hygiene products, paper goods, and cleaning supplies. Soon, my front porch became our first collection point and my living and dining rooms became our first storage areas. Within weeks, weekly deliveries began.
That was the beginning of Hand in Hand.

What We Do

Today, Hand in Hand works alongside school social workers in Spartanburg Districts 2, 3, 6, and 7 to provide children and families experiencing poverty with the essentials they need.

We provide food, hygiene items, clothing and shoes, bedding, household necessities, heating assistance, and other items identified by school social workers. Because every family’s circumstances are different, we focus on individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Dignity Matters

At the heart of Hand in Hand is the belief that every person deserves dignity and respect.
Poverty does not diminish a child’s worth. We want children to receive help without feeling defined by their circumstances. A new pair of shoes, clothing that fits, a warm bed, or something as simple as having the supplies they need can make a meaningful difference in a child’s confidence and sense of self-worth.

We do not want to create a relationship of dependency or make anyone feel beholden to another. We want to walk hand in hand—alongside children and families with compassion, respect, and practical support.

Helping Children Succeed

Meeting basic needs is about more than providing things. It helps remove barriers to learning.

A child who is hungry, cold, worried about where they will sleep, or embarrassed because they do not have appropriate clothing may struggle to focus in school. By helping meet these basic needs, we help create an environment where children can concentrate, remain in school, build confidence, and have a greater opportunity to succeed.

We are grateful for the dedicated social workers and educators who help us understand the needs of these children and guide our efforts.

What began with one unexpected discovery in 2020 has grown into a community working together to help children thrive.
We believe God opened my eyes to a need that day and gave me the opportunity to respond. We continue to trust Him to guide Hand in Hand and show us where we can serve.