New Helping Hand director gets by on prayer, kindness

Gayle Priddy has been associated with social service agency for 13 years

Published: November 4, 2013

by Dwain Hebda
Associate Editor

Dwain Hebda

Gayle Priddy helps sort donated canned vegetables for distribution at The Helping Hand of Greater Little Rock. A member of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock, Priddy took over as executive director in September.

Dwain Hebda

It’s an October Wednesday and Gayle Priddy is praying for vegetables.

A glance at The Helping Hand of Greater Little Rock food pantry reveals vegetables are particularly low. Making the regular rounds to the grocers and interdenominational cadre of churches who donate to the organization didn’t improve things.

“When we went to go pick up food (donated by) grocery stores, the first one we didn’t get much produce and so I said a prayer, ‘Dear Jesus, I really would like some vegetables,’” she said. “Well, out walks the produce manager and he goes, ‘I didn’t get this to the back for y’all.’ There was my produce.”

So it goes for the 66-year-old sprite from Thibodeaux, La., who in September took over as executive director. In the 13 years she’s been around Helping Hand — most of it as a volunteer after retiring from nursing — she’s prayed for a lot of things on behalf of the 43-year-old organization and the hundreds of people it helps any given day.

“If we’re low on meat, I’ll pray for chicken,” she said. “When chicken comes in, somebody from the food room comes out, “Gayle! Your prayers have been answered. We got chicken!”

If it seems a trivial thing to bother God about, much less get excited over, drop by and see The Helping Hand at work. Watch the people line up hoping to be one of 100 or so families to get groceries that day. Be the person to tell No. 101 to come back tomorrow as their shoulders slump and their voice drops to a near-whisper. See a little boy look at a frozen pizza like it’s a moonrock because his mother cannot afford such luxury.

Then go home with the knowledge that whatever you did that day, tomorrow the line will be back as long as ever and the only way to face it with hope lies in the little things God will send you that lets you see his face in theirs. Like chicken.

“You’ll see some that have just lost their jobs and are depressed and not very positive,” Priddy said. “And you’ll see the elderly, and the homeless and the disabled.”

Priddy, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock, doesn’t take any chances on missing the opportunity to make someone’s day. Walking down any hallway, she greets people waiting in line or shopping in the thrift store.

“How are you today?” she says to one. “I like that hat,” to another.

The effect on the people caught in the wake of her kindness is palpable — an elderly woman straightens with dignity in her chair, a young mother so taken aback by the kind tone can’t mouth a “Thank you” before Priddy is four steps down the hall.

“It’s just those little things,” she said. “You don’t always know what impact you’re making on people.”

That’s precisely how Priddy landed in this job, one she never sought nor wanted. When longtime executive director Bruce Limozaine retired in August, Priddy, the lone clerical staffer, made no bones about her potential interest.

“I told the board I didn’t want it, that I would help train anybody to step in,” she said. “I really wanted a young person to come in who would have the energy to get the name out there, get more fundraising for us. We need to get in touch with more young people.”

The problem was, as she stepped into the interim role to keep things running, volunteers and people in the community who didn’t give two hoots about a young person in the job began calling board members and they wanted her. The day the board president paid her a visit she knew her ultimatum had fallen on deaf ears.

“I quit worrying about it,” she said. “The Lord said this is what I need you to do, the board wanted it and so I agreed to five years.”

Priddy’s tenure has started with a bang. Helping Hand was one of two Little Rock organizations selected by KTHV Channel 11 and the United Way to receive funding for improvement projects as part of the volunteer initiative Make a Difference Day. Priddy’s modest wish list, including new reception area carpet, new awning, paint and vinyl flooring for the former St. Bartholomew High School-turned-food pantry, don’t read like much. Hearing her talk about it, however, you’d think she hit the lottery.

“These people … they don’t have anything,” she said. “I want them to really feel good and inviting and welcomed, make it a happy place for them.”

Long term, she wants to raise the organization’s profile to improve donations. She wants to resume providing clients assistance for prescriptions like it used to do, before lack of funding suspended the program.

More immediately, she needs unwrapped toys for distribution at Christmas. And every day, there’s another line that longs to be fed.

“You try to help people and you try to treat them with dignity and respect, and kindness and compassion,” she said. “I tell everybody that this is the Lord’s work.”