Helping Hands International was founded in 2005 by Ron and Leslie Ashpole after decades of faithful service in local Christian ministry. What began as a simple step of obedience has grown into a global network of volunteers committed to sharing the love of God through practical, hands-on care for people in need.

For more than 18 years, Helping Hands has worked alongside long-term missionaries and local churches in underserved rural communities around the world. Rather than creating parallel systems, we come alongside trusted leaders already on the ground—strengthening their work and responding to real, identified needs. Our teams focus on alleviating food insecurity, providing safe shelter, delivering clean water, supporting medical care, and offering rapid, compassionate response when disaster strikes.

God has especially expanded our reach in Kenya through a set of deeply relational, community-based programs. Through our Child Sponsorship Program, College and Trade School Scholarships, Women’s Savings and Loans initiatives, and weekly Feeding Program, your support helps create lasting change. Each week, more than 1,600 people receive meals—often their only full meal of the week. Over 200 children are sponsored, students are equipped to pursue higher education or vocational training, and women are empowered to launch small businesses that provide stability and dignity for their families.

At Helping Hands, we believe stewardship matters. We value long-term relationships, local leadership, and measurable impact. Our history is not just a record of what has been done—it is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and an invitation for partners like you to be part of what He continues to do through committed volunteers, trusted local partners, and sustainable, life-changing work around the world.