SEYMOUR (KFDX/KJTL) — Our final installment of Remarkable Women takes us to Seymour, a community that Kimberly Stevenson has devoted her life to serving.

Kimberly Stevenson takes the phrase ‘Love thy neighbor’ to a whole new level.

“There’s a house full of stuff here, and it’s all pretty much handed out to places, we just got to get it out the door and get it where it’s gonna go,” Stevenson said.

The Seymour native has always had a passion to give back to the community she grew up in. That passion turned into her life’s mission at a time when people needed it most.

“Unfortunately during Covid, there was a lot of negativity,” Stevenson said. “Everybody was frustrated, they were tired, and they took that out on the keyboards and on Facebook. And I was trying to figure out, how do you combat so much negativity? And my thought was start a Facebook page that did something positive.”

That’s how Seymour Helping Hands came to be.

“Seymour Helping Hands is my passion,” Stevenson said. “I get out and about, meet people in town, really just try to do a service for people who are in need. And when I say ‘in need’ I don’t just mean one group of people. It could be somebody that just needs a ride to the store, or maybe they need someone to pick something up from the pharmacy, things like that.”

What started with little acts of kindness turned into something much bigger over time.

The online forum soon began accepting donations like couches, cribs, washing machines and countless other items, which would then be posted to the Helping Hands Facebook page. And it’s there that community members can find what they need during a time of financial hardship.

“So we switched our focus from just one or two little things to ‘What does the community need?’ And that’s kind of where it grew from there,” Stevenson said. “We said okay, let’s form a board, and we ended up being a 501.C.3. And now I’m amazed when I do things for it, what all we’ve accomplished.”

“We need to be watching for household items, especially a bed and stuff like that and couches, she’ll need that sort of stuff,” Stevenson said while looking for items for someone who needed help.

The majority that make up the Helping Hands volunteer roster are those who have experienced its generousity first-hand.

It’s created a lasting impact that Board Member Daniel Huskamp said is incredible to see.

“I definitely have seen people who were in a spot who needed help, and then they got the assistance they needed and then realized, you know, ‘I can help out the next person,'” Huskamp said. “So it definitely does have a daisy-chain effect where the more we work, the more people are reached, and the more people are reached, the more they’ll want to give back to the community.”

The organization also hosts a variety of events throughout the year to help their cause. From a holiday toy drive, to a mud bog, or a spring fling car show.

Huskamp said for Kim, nothing is off limits when it comes to bringing the community together.

“Not very many people get to see how much she sacrifices,” Huskamp said. “How much she gives to help people, and she doesn’t expect anything. She just likes to help. You can tell in her smile that this is what she loves. She loves helping people out, and it’s amazing.”

Kim’s busy and demanding schedule hasn’t stopped her from working toward bigger and better things for the small town. Her ultimate goal is to build a community center that will serve residents of all ages on an everyday basis.

“I want something where people can go and take classes: GED, CNA, ASL, things like that,” Stevenson said. “I want a place where the seniors can come and have coffee together and visit. Maybe a bingo night or a card game night. I want something where the kids who aren’t always the usual kids, the ones who like to cosplay, anime and things like that, maybe they can go and learn how to make their own costumes and things like that. I want something that serves the whole entire community.”

While some aspirations may seem far reaching, Kim says you’ll never know what you’re capable of until you put your best foot forward.

Kim says being a part of a volunteer program is a must, so when the time comes for her to retire, she will still be involved with Seymour Helping Hands in some capacity.

But she doesn’t see herself slowing down any time soon…