Both Hands

Throughout the process of our adoption, this verse from James 1:27 has come up as both a challenge and reminder to us of how we as believers are called to care for those who are widows and orphans.  Unfortunately, our culture and world often tries to keep us focused on our own needs, desires, and goals, and overlook others who have needs - such as widows and orphans.

As we are preparing to welcome an orphan into our family, we are also challenged to remember the other half of this verse - the widow, and consider how we can care for them as well.

Enter the Both Hands Organization.

Years ago we discovered the Both Hands organization and loved it’s simple philosophy of helping fulfill this Biblical mandate of caring for both a widow and an orphan.  Taking it’s belief and mission directly from this verse of Scripture, Both Hands seeks to tangibly help a widow AND financially support a family who is adopting an orphan.

This video gives a great overview of the vision and history of Both Hands, as told by their founder, JT Olson:



Developed and founded by an orphan himself, the approach of Both Hands is simple: an adoptive family identifies a local widow in their community who is in need of some home repair work, clean up, or upkeep on their home.  The adoptive family recruits a team of volunteers who commit to helping at a day long service project on this widow’s home, while also helping recruit sponsors who will financially sponsor them for this day of service.  All the financial proceeds that are given go directly to help the adoptive family offset the various costs associated with adopting an orphan.

In short, a team of people offers both of their hands:  one hand to help the widow;  one hand to help the orphan.

The widow is blessed with a team of volunteers who clean, rake, repair, and restore her home for a day; the orphan is blessed with entering into a family who will love and cherish them; the adoptive family is blessed by receiving financial support for the adoption; and the volunteer team is blessed by being a part of the widow and orphan’s life story!

We would like to invite you to be a part of our Both Hands Project as we seek to help a widow AND our daughter!

On April 21, our volunteer team will be serving Ms. Cheryl, a widow who lost her husband 24 years ago.  She has lived in her home here in Cedar Rapids since 1979, but had significant damage to it from the major flood of 2008, that she is still recovering from.  We will be helping with a variety of outdoor projects including landscaping, painting, garbage/trash removal, and cleaning parts of her home.

As we serve her in this tangible way, would you consider helping financially sponsor us for this day of service?  100% of all gifts received will go directly toward meeting our adoption expenses, and help us bring Hannah Grace into our family.  Our total adoption expenses to bring Hannah home are approximately $40,000, so all donations toward this project are greatly appreciated!

Your gift is 100% tax-deductible, and no administrative costs or overhead is taken out by Lifesong for Orphans or Both Hands for this project! (if giving via credit card, there is a small fee, due to it being processed by a 3rd party vendor)

We have also been blessed with a matching grant from a gracious donor, so every gift that is donated will be matched up to $1,500.

We also greatly value your prayer support as we serve Ms. Cheryl through this project, and as we transition Hannah into our family!

You can get more information about our project, including a link to donate online by clicking the Both Hands logo below:

You can also mail a donation by making checks payable to:

Lifesong for Orphans
Groezinger Account #7379
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744

Please write on memo line:  Groezinger Account #7379

Thank you so much for your partnership with us in our adoption, and helping use both of YOUR hands to help a widow and an orphan!

P.S.  This video is an example of what a Both Hands Project looks like - thanks for your help in being a part of ours!