Our History

HISTORY

Helping Hands Outreach Ministries, Inc., was founded in 1986 as an urban outreach program of Faith Christian Center of Bedford, New Hampshire. We opened our first facility in the St. Vincent de Paul building on Manchester Street. There, we provided housing to the homeless, a food pantry, and used furniture distribution.

Over the years, as the ministry grew, we channeled our efforts toward the most pressing need—temporary housing to enable men to overcome homelessness, addiction, and poverty.

In 1991, Helping Hands purchased the former Saint Joseph’s School for Boys—which still today is our primary residential location and headquarters—at 50 Lowell Street. We began extensive renovations to convert the former school to meet community needs.

Currently, Helping Hands operates two residential locations—a recovery center at 50 Lowell Street, and a sober living facility (“The Gendron House”) at 142 Central Street.

Helping Hands is a path to a renewed life, built on a foundation of dignity, self-determination, and hope.

Who We Are

Helping Hands is a welcoming community that provides support without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, military service, national origin, immigration status, genetic information, or marital status.

**LARRY NICE** | Executive Director & **Jeff Knuckles** | Chaplain, Life Coach, and Facilities Manager

What We Do

For over thirty years, Helpings Hands Outreach Ministries, Inc., has helped men overcome homelessness, addiction, prison, and poverty. Through its two residential locations in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, Helping Hands enables men to rebuild their lives, providing:

Shelter and food
Case management, behavioral health services, and relapse prevention
Job training and volunteer opportunities
A safe, sober environment
Peer support
On-site intensive outpatient program, offering treatment and support to residents conquering substance dependence
The helping hands of a staff and volunteer community dedicated to supporting men in the transition from inpatient treatment, homelessness, or prison to meaningful, independent living

Contact Us

Leadership

Ron Bodendorf | Executive Director

Ron recently joined Helping hands as executive director in June 0f 2026 bringing with him 25 years of experience passionately helping people with addiction, mental illness, suicide ideation and homelessness. With a heart for serving the most vulnerable with compassion and dignity, Ron has been there with 21 years of lived addiction and got miraculously sober in 1998. He knows that if it wasn’t for God, he would either be dead or in jail.

Ron comes with a unique skill set. He has been licensed and ordained as a minister since 2002 and has been pastoring locally since 2010 after 10 years of ministry in Ft Wayne, Indiana. He currently Pastors the Ark Church in Manchester, Nh with weekly outreaches in the Hillsborough County Jail and streets of Manchester and is well connected regionally and nationally.

According to Ron, Helping Hands is Faith Based, Evidenced Based, Solution Focused agency that is committed to assisting motivated men with emergency and transitional housing but more importantly helping men get back what has been lost by engaging them in the process of change, lead a self-directed life, and help men reach their full potential. He is well versed and a skilled practitioner in Evidenced Based Best Practices. He has worked with Revive recovery Center in Nashua, Capital Recovery Health treatment Center in Boscawen and was the lead Choices Recovery Coach Trainings Facilitator up until joining Helping Hands. He has held his CRSW certification since 2000 and is a board approved peer supervisor.

Ron is an 8 year Air force Vet, successful entrepreneur, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Illinois in Industrial Management/Technology and recently finished his Human Services Degree from UNH in December of 2025. To know Ron, his passion is contagious as he sees treasure and potential in everyone he meets. According to Ron, all of the accomplishments mean little. What matters most is his relationship with God, his incredible wife Sue, 4 daughters, 15 grandkids and that we have hurting people on our watch and in our backyard and it’s impossible to sit on the sidelines. Helping Hands Outreach is a place where miracles happen.grandchildren.

Jeff Knuckles | Chaplain, Life Coach, and Facilities Manager

Jeff brings a wealth of lived experience to his dual role. A graduate and former manager of a local sober house, he has a heart for service that has been proven through hands-on work with the homeless community. He previously volunteered with Harmony Home, an Manchester-based outreach and played a key role in launching the “Overnight Shelter” at Hope City Church on Cedar Street. Jeff founded his own ministry, sharing food, music, and the message of the Gospel with the local community.

Currently, Jeff serves two days a week at Helping Hands as Facilities Manager, where he has overseen floor replacements and room painting. Wednesdays, he steps into his pastoral roles as Chaplain and Life Coach, providing guidance and support to men in our program.