Founders Story

In 2008, Cheri Honderd was serving as the Director of Kids Hope USA at Fair Haven Church in Hudsonville, Michigan, where she connected church members to mentor at-risk students in local schools. Through this role, she discovered a heartbreaking reality—elementary school kids in her own community were going hungry.

At the time, the nation was in a recession and families who had never struggled before suddenly couldn’t afford enough food to feed their kids. In one school district alone, the number of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch skyrocketed from 5% to 30% in just one year.

As Cheri learned about children going hungry in her own backyard, memories of her own childhood resurfaced—times when her family struggled to make ends meet. “The church played such a big role in my life as a child,” Cheri recalls. “Even though my mom worked long hours, she always made sure we went to church on Sundays. That church wrapped us in love, support, and encouragement. It gave me hope and peace during uncertain times, and I will always be grateful for that.”

Cheri knew she wanted that same kind of love and support to extend into her local community. So, she turned to God in prayer. “I asked God how He could use our church to help these children. I knew He called us to feed the hungry, to be His hands and feet. And I also knew plenty of food was available—we just needed a way to get it into the hands of the kids who needed it most.”

She shared this urgent need with her church family at Fair Haven, and their response was overwhelming. Volunteers stepped up, eager to make a difference. Cheri also worked closely with a local school principal to figure out how to get food directly to the students. And from that, Hand2Hand began.

What started as a simple idea—sending home a backpack of food each weekend—quickly became something much bigger. Hand2Hand not only provides food but also brings hope, joy, and relief to kids who know they can count on the food showing up week after week. It’s a tangible reminder that people care. That God cares.

As word spread, schools began reaching out to request weekend food resources. Churches felt the call to partner with schools in their own neighborhoods, and Hand2Hand grew far beyond what Cheri ever hoped or imagined. Since 2008, this ministry has expanded from serving 19 students to feeding thousands of kids every single week.

At the heart of Hand2Hand is prayer. We stand on the promise of Psalm 145:16—"For You open Your hand and provide for the desires of every living thing." Our hope is that each child receiving a backpack of food will know that it ultimately comes from God Himself. We are simply His hands and feet, serving with love.