SMELL THAT fresh clean air?! Look at all the green!! See those babies?! Hear the birds?! SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
AHH welcomes in Spring and YOU to share inGod’s glory of birth and new life.
LETS TALK a bit about how AHH ended 2025 as we started to build into 2026. We have seen God’s hand in many of our endeavors throughout the last year.
· A new program, Pathways to Independence, is working on propelling our resident-guests into functional members of society. Along with giving every opportunity to become fishers of men.
· Financial Peace being taught by Case Manager Steven L. This is a wonderful program that teaches how to budget and save money. F.P. helps get aperson out of debt also! The best part of the program is that it is taught based on scriptural references and developed by Dave Ramsey, a strong Christian believer.
· Our storehouses are FULL of food! As of June 2025, AHH is independently responsible for all food used to nourish our resident-guests. We received ourlast Foodshare supply in the last week of May 2025. Within DAYS we were getting donations like never before! 576 POUNDS of pasta! MULTIPLE CASES of milk and yogurt from Albany School District! MEAT of many kindsincluding 1200 POUNDS of beef! SEVENTY pies for Thanksgiving! A PALLET ofbroccoli! SEVERAL cases of pastries and croissants from Costco. God is sofaithful to deliver if we are faithful to believe!
· New flooring for the staff offices! This was Troy’s #1 on his Blessed List! Ask him how thrilled he is…only if you have time for him to go on and on about it…
· Houses are fixed up and more livable. AHH wants some of our more “ready”resident-guests to have a chance at a taste of independent living. Our houses were functional at best. Now they have new paint and interior work that makesthem comfortable and homey!
· A GED program run by Pat Loy and assisted by Amy Aubri. These two former teachers are volunteering their time to help our resident-guests grow mentally.They assist in more than just getting a GED though. They are dedicated to helping them learn budgeting, resume writing, even writing a simple shopping list. And yet again, God sent people of faith. Both ladies are believers and want to incorporate His teachings into their teaching!
· We had new computers donated for our resident-guests to use. We were blessed to receive 5 computers and several programs to help our resident-guests in all manner of furthering themselves. A HUGE THANK YOU to Smart TechSolutions, run by Austin and Tiffany, for generously donating all of this. Several resident-guests have used them to type out resumes, do job searches, learn to type better, and much more! We have wanted to provide more and betterfor our resident-guests in their stay, and as always God has provided throughthese loving caring people.
· BUNKS!!! We have finalized our purchases of the MUCH NEEDED new bunks!There are several people to thank but I’ll start by thanking God for being our Provider during money concerns. Our last Bridge of Hope was focused on raising money to help us buy new bunks to replace the old ones that have begun to fall apart.
The original bunks we were looking at were coming in at around $37,000. Our Executive Director, David reached out to LBCC’s Master Welding Program to see if they would be willing to help in some manner. Their instructor was thrilled at the prospect of giving the students a goal to prove their skills. LBCC was able to drop the price to around TEN THOUSAND dollars!
Then GOD! With great excitement we began plans to get the new bunks at a much cheaper rate! But God wasn’t done providing. One of the more expensive aspects of the bunks was going to be a process called powder coating.One of our board members reached out to Ram Steel to see if they could help us get coating at a cheaper cost. They found an alternative in a paint form. The cost of the paint is around $400/5gl bucket. This breaks down to about EIGHT DOLLARS a bed!
But wait there’s more! Emmerson Smoker, one of AHH’s board members, reached out to his friends at Coastal who were able to make him a GREAT deal on a steal mesh that covers the bottom of each bed. Their price? FREE! The cost savings of $2100!!!
In the end, we are paying roughly $75.00/bed!!!! Or $150 for a set of bunks.
The total price tag comes out to around $7500. In total we saved about $29,500! THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!!!! The money we saved is going toward other repairs and needs we have around here. Our Father is THE BEST Provider! II Corinthians 9:8 (ESV) is a perfect verse stating what AHH is seeing from God; “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
THIS LIST is such a small part of all the wonderful blessings we saw in 2025 and the beginning of 2026! God promises miracles to the faithful. AHH must be doing something right! We keep seeing small miracles every single day!!
IN THIS section of the newsletter our AHH staff is giving you a chance to get to know them better. They want you to know who you are partnering with in the mission of changing lives.
MEET DAVID Steele. David is our Executive Director at AHH. Like everyone else this is just his “simple” title. He is oneof the pastors for our Sunday service. His handyman skills have saved us a bunch of money and headaches around AHH too! He’s even known to peek under a car hood or two to see if he can help. You can almost always catch him willingly giving counsel to people about God. Above all David is a man dedicated to service of his Lord and Savior. He has a passion to share by living as an example of a godly man.
ISAIAH 40:28-31 (ISV) reads: “28 Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The Lord is the eternal God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary; and His understanding cannot be fathomed. 29 He’s the One who gives might to the faint, renewing strength for the powerless. 30 Even boys grow tired and weary, and young men collapse and fall, 31 but those who keep waiting for the Lord will renew their strength.Then they soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and not grow weary; they’ll walk and not grow tired.” David favors these verses because, “There is no searching of His understanding…I must seek His Will and wait upon Him.”
WHEN asked about his testimony David gave a very humble answer. This writer has heard David’s testimony and can assure you it is extremely powerful! If you ever get a chance, you really should ask him to share his life’s story and how he came to know Christ. As for his answer, David simply stated; “I was filled with the Holy Spirit and desire to see people come to Christ for Eternal Salvation.”
“AT A former job I taped a trout fish skin to the underside of my boss’s desk! ALL day people would ask him, ‘WHAT’s that SMELL!?’” David’s mischief just goes to show you that even a man of God can have a spirited funny side. Maybe I should ask to talk to this former boss and see how HE felt about David’s prank?
DAVID’S favorite part of this job is helping people regain their lives. “Giving them a solid direction to change things and be successful.”
IF I COULD DO ONE THING DIFFERENTLY FOR THE SHELTER, I’d hire MORE staff!
IF I EVER WON 10 MILLION DOLLARS I WOULD build a grand shelter with a chapel.
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE… This is a fun way to get to know someone a bit better.You have them tell two truthful facts about themselves and one lie. Then it is up to you, the reader, to figure out what is fact and what is fiction. The answer will appear in the Summer Newsletter in June.
Does our Executive Director have a sneaky side?
1. In 2003 I went to Europe for 3 weeks building churches.
2. In 1997 I filmed a tornado and sold the video for$50.00 to the local news.
3. In 2003 I bungee jumped from the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
SOMETHING different! We are doing TWO GTKs in this newsletter!
LET’S GET to know Ben Jones. Ben is one of our AHH Case Managers. As with all our staff this is only his “official” title. Ben has played driver, nurse, pastor, brother and father figure to many of our resident-guests, AND his coworkers. His door is always open, and the resident-guests feel comfortable seeking him for counsel. When this writer thinks of a Man of God he has NO problem picturing Ben. His heart is huge and his desire to share Jesus is even BIGGER.
“12 SO, IF you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13) Ben uses these verses because, “By remembering these verses I keep my guard up against lies like, ‘I’m OK and temptation can’t get me’, ‘God isn’t always good, or always available’, or ‘I have to give into temptation because it is too hard.’ I am reminded that I could always fall and I have to be careful, that God is always good and always available, and that He never allows temptation to be more than I can handle. He’s got the devil on a leash, and He has already provided a way out of temptation for me.”
“MY FAMILY goes back many generations of Christian Faith on both sides. I came to Christ as a young child. I was glad He wanted to be my friend, and I wanted to go to Heaven, so I asked Him to forgive my sins.” Ben goes on to say that as a teenager he began to see the “fun” sins can provide in life. “I cursed God and told him to leave me alone. I liked my sin and didn’t want Him telling me what to do. Shame drove me to secrecy.” He talked about how on the outside he was the good “Good Christian Boy.”, but on the inside a “secret rebel against the God who loves me.”
BEN CONTINUES his testimony talking about a time when he was 15. “I went to a youth conference and was focused on a girl in youth group at time would not have been good for me. Somehow during worship,God got my attention and I realized that I did NOT have a relationship withHim. David Crowder Band was leading with a song called “O Praise Him”. It spoke about His Holiness, and I was struck by that fact that God Is Holy, Pure,Different, and I was sinful, stained and separated from Him. I gave my life back to God that day and He restored our relationship. I still struggle with sin, but I am not given over to it the way that I was before. God has granted me the blessing of being free from some sins that were addictive in my life. I strive to become closer to Him, gaining more freedom as a I surrender to His Authority in my life.”
NOT TO tattle on myself but this writer does NOT find Ben’s “funny memory” at all funny…mostly because I am the VICTIM! Ben, laughing, describes his wicked deed, “Not too long ago I startled one of my coworkers (who shall remain nameless) as they were bringing in the mail (you might be able to extrapolate from that who I am talking about). He was coming in the front door of Building One, as I was headed out. When I startled him, he tossed the mail bucket, and I caught most of it. The best part was that this was just outside the front door and I was able to review it over and over again on the shelter’s camera system! I even downloaded a clip to my phone and shared it with all the people who love this coworker.
*coworker/writer would like to add that Ben shoved the door open while yelling“BOO!” However, he kindly left out how his coworker about panicked and was frozen in place (so much for fight or flight) for what seemed several loonnngg seconds! Although I must admit it was amusing to the spectators who happened to see it live and those who watched it later…’over and over’…as Ben says.” *
WHEN asked what his favorite part of the job was Ben gave this response; “I love telling people that they are still loved and cared for when they are scared, or it seems the world is falling apart around them. Sometimes this is when they first check in. Other times it is when they were kicked out for a policy issue such as relapse. Shame is so huge in our lives, and I love to dispel that pain as much as I am able and let people know that we love them in the midst of and in spite of what they may have done.”
IF I COULD DO ONE THING DIFFERENTLY FOR THE SHELTER, I would have 24/7 staffing. We need staff presence to be able to offer support and handle the hard situations when they come up.
IF I EVER WON 10 MILLION DOLLARS I WOULD give large amounts to my church, to AHH and Salina Rescue Mission where I previously worked. I’d pay off my debts and help family members pay off theirs including houses…And treat my family to a special vacation and invest in my kids’ college.
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE…BEN’s ROUND:
How good is Ben at speaking untruth?
1. I started going bald when I was 12.
2. I was my full height of 5’6” when I was 11.
3. I played Rugby all 4 years of high school.
OUR WINTER News and Notes featured Trudy’s Two Truths and a Lie. If you haven’t read it yet and don’t want to spoil the fun, read it before the big reveal!
Were you a Master Sleuth? Or did Trudy get away with her tall tale?
AS PREVIOUSLY mentioned, AHH is fully funded and provided for by donations. Even the money from the thrift store goes right back into feeding ourresident-guests and upkeep of our buildings. We make NO profits! We rely on God’s generosity, through those who hear His words, to provide all our needs.
For a more precise list of needs please see our website, albanyhelpinghands.com
We try to provide most day-to-day needs so that our resident-guests can save their money for moving forward toward their own homes.
If you feel you cannot afford to join us financially, we understand. However, prayer is free! And it comes with even better returns than money! Please join us as we pray for these men and women in our care. Pray for the shelter itself. Lift up the workers who have made it their mission to help others seek God as they seek their new lives. You can even call and ask for specific prayer needs. For those of you who are already praying for us, we thank you!
If it is easier for you to donate cash or a check, we will gladly apply it to any of the current needs we have.Checks or money orders can be made out to Albany Helping Hands. You can deliver money to Desk One Monday-Friday 8am-4pm, or mail to PO Box 2252, Albany, OR 97321. A receipt for your taxes will be sent to you if you wish to receive one.
· Underwear (male and female) ANY sizes ANY styles
· Socks (male and female) ANY sizes ANY styles
· Shampoo and conditioner ANY brands
· Soap bars or body wash
· Disposable razors
· Shaving cream or gel
· Toothpaste and brushes
· Cough drops
· Ibuprofen and Tylenol (acetaminophen)
· Antacids
We do not charge for envelopes or stamps. We see it as another aid to moving our resident-guests forward on their journey to their own homes.
· Small personal journals
· Pens and #2 pencils or mechanical pencils
· Envelopes
· Folders and pocket folders
· Postage stamps
Currently, we are willing to accept only NEW clothes in adult sizes. Weare in the works of getting a clothing closet up and running on site. Please take all other donations of gently used clothing or other items to Albany Helping Hands Thrift Store located at 705 1St Ave SE, Albany. Clothing is often given away free even to the public.
KITCHEN:
We serve approximately 70 people 3 meals plus snacks, seven days a week. Food cannot be expired or opened before donating.
· Eggs (fresh laid are acceptable)
· Milk (any percent)
· Fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden
· Meat (fresh or frozen)
· Frozen foods
If you have any questions, please contact our Kitchen Manager Elizabeth Steele. Sunday-Thursday 8am-6pm. Email: elizabeth@albanyhh.org Phone: 541-926-4036
As we step into Spring, we have some needs to run our little farm.
· Hay for our cows
· Grain or chicken feed
· Feed for our pigs
· Seeds or starters for planting crops
· Fresh potting soil
· Your TIME in the fresh air! Josh canalways use volunteer help. Want to get your hands dirty in some fresh soil? Here’s your chance!
If you have questions, please contact our Farm Manager Joshua Burroughs. Email: joshua@albanyhh.org Cell: 458-223-0384
THE AHH Mission Statement: Demonstrating the love of Jesus for people by providing basic needs, encouraging faith and giving hope for a brighter future. Join us in being part of this “brighter future.”
THIS QUARTERLY newsletter is meant to be informative and enjoyable. I pray it meets those expectations. Thank you as always for taking a moment to stayinformed of what is happening here at AHH. We cannot do this alone.
SPRING is a time of renewal, growth and birth. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Join us in prayer as we guide men and women toward their new lives. Lives that we pray will include our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
HAVE a blessed Spring and see you in the Summer!
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