Love INC intern Megan Adkins is participating in a holistic approach to serving people in Hancock County.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
GREENFIELD – Two local nonprofit organizations are getting extra hands and hearts to help with their missions this school year.
The Community Foundation of Hancock County offered a grant program to pay for internships for high school students.
Love INC and Meals on Wheels are benefiting from the program, which directors say provides valuable help for their missions while also giving students real-world experience.
Love INC intern Megan Adkins is participating in a holistic approach to serving people in Hancock County by assisting with phone calls, need-request verifications, resourcing, data organization and community outreach.
Love In the Name of Christ of Greater Hancock County mobilizes local churches to transform lives and communities. Adkins, an 18-year-old senior at Eastern Hancock High School, said she wanted the position because it fit perfectly with her faith values.
“I love helping people and I get to help people every day with getting them resources. Hearing people have hope in their voice that God is going to be right there and is blessing them, is the best feeling ever,” Adkins said. “Love INC was offered at my school for workforce, and this sounded like a perfect fit for me. It definitely was.”
Director Debra Weber said Adkins has been very helpful so far this school year. The organization relies on volunteers, and generally doesn’t have extra money for interns so the Community Foundation grant was a blessing.
At Meals on Wheels of Hancock County, Director Lynda Kosh said intern Sonia Hicks has also been helpful.
She assists with client intake, applications and files; as well as plans fundraising events like the upcoming Boots and Bourbon fundraiser. Having Hicks on hand every afternoon frees up the others in the office to provide more outreach for the community, Kosh said.
The goal of the program is to provide a valuable learning opportunity for students and an expanded skillset and diverse perspective for nonprofits, according to a press release from the foundation. The internship program is for one full academic year. Grants funds are expressly for providing monetary compensation for the interns.
Hicks, also a senior at EHHS, said she likes the staff at Meals on Wheels and feels comfortable around them.
“It kind of reminds me of at home, with all of the goofy shenanigans,” she said. “It’s a good place, and it’s fun.”
