Video: ‘Helping Hands, Helping Homeless’ Gets People Off The Streets

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TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Every Tuesday and Thursday, Ira Everhart comes to a mustard colored building on South Green street, where he sorts through, and organizes lots of clothes.

Helping Everhart is Melissa Pound. She started “Helping Hands, Helping Homeless” out of her home after returning from a mission trip.

“I went to Honduras, and when I was coming home, it was on my heart, you got to do something now, before you can go back, and at that time I was sitting
with my mother who had Alzheimer’s and I kept telling God , I can’t do it, I don’t have time, and besides that there’s not any homeless people in
Tupelo,” Pound said.

She quickly found out there were indeed homeless people and those on the verge of being on the streets, in her hometown, so Pound began collecting
clothes to give away.

Now, a small building in Mill Creek Village acts as a warehouse, where all the donations are stored.

A couple of years ago, Melissa found out about Ira, who was homeless and battling addiction.

“I was on drugs and alcohol real bad, a lot of street people, they are, kind of helps the monotony, it started with a prayer meeting here every Wednesday
night, I ended up in rehab,” Everhart said.

When he got out of rehab, Helping Hands, Helping Homeless found an apartment for Ira. They also paid his first month’s rent, and furnished his new place.

Ira also does laundry for the homeless and he helps out whenever the ministry feeds people at the Salvation Army on Saturdays.

“I keep in touch with them because I basically know where all the homeless sleep at, because I’ve been there,” he said.

As long as there are people like Ira, who are looking for a hand up, Melissa and other volunteers will do whatever they can to meet the need.

Helping Hands, Helping Homeless also runs Stone Soup Ministries, which feeds those less fortunate. For more information go to their Facebook page, or call 662 871 2312.