Arkansas Governor Launches Gospel-Inspired 10:33 Biblical Initiative: "A Hand Up, Not a Handout"

Michael Ringer

01 Nov 2025 — 3 min read

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the launch of the 10:33 Initiative

Little Rock, Arkansas - Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the launch of the 10:33 Initiative, a Gospel-inspired pilot program designed to uplift Arkansas residents in crisis by connecting them with local faith and community partners who can meet their needs.

The 12-month pilot program, which launched in October 2025, takes its name from Luke 10:33: "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him." The program will operate in Pulaski, Union and Pope counties.

Organized by Sanders' Faith-Based Initiatives office, the initiative helps residents create a plan to address their needs, including securing housing, transportation, employment or childcare. Sanders believes the program embodies the compassion the Good Samaritan showed to a stranger and serves as a reminder of one's duty to help their neighbor.

"The purpose of that story, and what we want to be the driver behind this initiative, is looking for a way to bring our state together to help our most vulnerable citizens and lift them up at a time when they can really use a little bit of help," Sanders told The Christian Post.

In a statement, Sanders promised that the 10:33 Initiative "isn't another government welfare program." Instead, she said it's "a groundbreaking project carefully curated to give Arkansans a hand up, not a handout."

The initiative is conducted in partnership with the White House Faith Office, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and the Arkansas Department of Commerce. Sanders stated that most of the 10:33 Initiative is privately funded and utilizes the Hope Hub software technology, which was already in place through the Arkansas nonprofit Restore Hope.

The Hope Hub program, already used in 19 Arkansas counties, connects individuals with service provider agencies after assessing their needs. Sanders said there was no need to spend money on constructing another resource since Restore Hope had already built and managed one well.

Sanders believes the 10:33 Initiative is better for Arkansas because government programs:

"Only complete a piece of the puzzle." She explained: "That person's now coming, and they're not just getting food stamps; it's about how can we connect you with some of our community partners who may help you if you need a car to get to a job, housing, or whatever it looks like? How can we help you get on your own two feet so that you're no longer dependent on government services?"

"The goal should never be to trap and keep people on a government program," Sanders added, calling it the "definition of failure" when an able-bodied person never leaves the system. "That's not the goal. The goal is to give them a hand up, not a handout, so that they can, eventually, have a foundation to stand on their own and not be reliant on the government system."

Sanders clarified that people who cannot work or who have significant challenges will always have support. "But people who have the ability, we really want them to be able to get out there on their own and, ideally, pay it forward down the line."

Rev. Clint Schnekloth of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, expressed concern in an October 6 Substack post that programs like this usually come with cuts to public support systems. The pastor also fears that churches are only equipped to offer limited assistance to their communities and are not prepared to provide the long-term safety nets that state or federal government offers.

Sanders, daughter of former Arkansas Governor and pastor Mike Huckabee (currently U.S. ambassador to Israel), reflected on her upbringing: "I grew up with a dad as a pastor and saw the way that my own family and my parents engaged in the community. The reason that I ran for office is because I love people. I have a commitment to service, and that's a similar feeling that you'll find in churches across this country. And so, being able to partner those things together and utilize the volunteer base and the resources that our faith community has seems like a no-brainer."

Sanders said she hopes the 10:33 Initiative will have a positive impact on Arkansas and serve as a "blueprint for other states and communities to follow."