WITH HUMAN HANDS DOING God’s work PADUCAH COOPERATIVE MINISTRIES { by N a t alie Ha c ke t t • Ph otos Submit ted & by Nic hel le Ez el l } What happens when you have an eight-member staff, sixteen-member board of directors, over 50 local congregations, and hundreds of community members with one common goal to meet basic human needs? Well, you get the army of caring, generous people who make up Paducah Cooperative Ministry by doing God’s work with human hands. Paducah Cooperative Ministry is an inter-faith ministry founded in 1973 by local congregations. The ministry belongs to these congregations who ask and enable PCM to do important work on their behalf. Their mission is simple: The Paducah Cooperative Ministry seeks to do God’s work with human hands by bringing together individuals and resources to respond to basic human needs and conditions in McCracken County. Paducah Cooperative Ministry responds to immediate needs including food assistance, utility assistance, homelessness, prescription medicine assistance, and more. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, needs have deepened, and PCM has responded with customized help by examining needs, determining priorities and strategies, and taking action as quickly as possible. Heidi Suhrheinrich, Executive Director of Paducah help that never ever thought they would be in that position and have to ask for help. We’ve really had it brought home that surprises happen to all of us.” Paducah Cooperative Ministry also operates a shelter, Fresh Start Village, for women and moms with children who find themselves displaced from a home environment. Heidi shares, “We aim to break the cycle of homelessness by making this a service-based shelter. Women are usually with us for three to six months before we are able to help them establish a home on their own.” Because of this, PCM accepts donations of household items such as pots, pans, utensils, tables, chairs, and other items that may help someone establish a home. While PCM remains Volunteers Giles and Marcie Robinson prepping Panera bread to distribute astonished at the giving hearts in our community, there is always a constant need for food and groceries. Heidi explains how Cooperative Ministry shares, “We’ve found out, especially this year, that anybody can fall into hard times. Anybody can need they keep their food pantry stocked, saying, “Our food pantry receives donations partly from congregation collections, individual food or monetary donations, and partly from personal gardens and local restaurants. It’s kinda like a patchwork quilt; all these small pieces come together, and we make it work with what we have.” Every week, several local restaurants donate cooked but unused food to Paducah Cooperative Ministry. Paducah Meal INTHEVUE.COM | PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE | FEBRUARY 2021 67
