CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – There are times when everyone needs a helping hand. In Clarksville many organizations are standing by to provide assistance, and one that stands tall is The Well.

Jeff Shocklee, director of The Well, said it is a ministry of Church of Christ at Trenton Crossing and is focused on helping the homeless, the poor and those who are struggling.

“We have a few different programs that we work very hard on,” Shocklee said. “We have a free food pantry that’s available and we also have a free clothing closet that is open to help people who are trying to find a way to feed and clothe their family.”

Started with sandwiches

Shocklee said The Well started in 2008 when volunteers began feeding sandwiches to those who were hungry out of the fellowship hall of Madison Street Church of Christ. Over the years as the need to help the community grew, the church wanted to do a better job and take care of those in need full-time.

Shocklee said the church bought the old Moose Lodge building at 224 Union St., and it became The Well, a multifaceted Christ-centered ministry dedicated to being a place for hope, renewal and empowerment, and a great place to help people.

Talking about the clothes closet, Shocklee said many people think about their organization as helping only the homeless, but that has evolved. “Over the last few months, the clothes closet seems to have gravitated more to helping families,” Shocklee said.

He added with the current economic situation, families are struggling to keep their kids in enough clothes. “Week in and week out, we are scrambling to find clothes to get to the families and the kids who are growing,” Shocklee said.

How you can give or get help

Shocklee said they are looking for donations of good clothing along with shoes for children. “What we are looking for is for the buttons to still be on, the zippers working, we don’t want them to be smelly and stained, we want them to be clean and in good condition,” Shocklee said.

Donations of items can be dropped off Monday and Wednesday from 1-5:30 p.m. and Tuesday from 10-noon. Shocklee asked that donated items please not be dropped off outside their building when there is no one there to take care of them.

Financial donations to The Well can be made directly to the Church of Christ at Trenton Crossing, and Shocklee emphasized that all monetary donations go directly to support The Well.

The Well is also in need of volunteers to help with cooking, serving, cleaning and sorting clothes, and helping in the food pantry.

The Well is located at 224 Union St. in downtown Clarksville, behind the Post Office. Those in need can stop by on Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon, with all clothing and other items free to the public.

To learn more about The Well, email jeff@trentoncrossingchurch.com or call or text 931-802-2889.

Giving Grace, sponsored by Grace Dental, is an ongoing Clarksville Now series showcasing local nonprofit organizations.