Formation 1991 Region served Worldwide | Location Cincinnati, Ohio | |
Type 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization Purpose Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief Founder & President Reverend Wendell Mettey |
Matthew 25: Ministries is an international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization headquartered in Cincinnati, OH. Matthew 25: Ministries provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief to the poor throughout the US and around the world. Matthew 25 collects excess products from corporations and manufacturers as well as the general public and ships these donations to those in need.
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Mission
Matthew 25: Ministries’ mission is based on Matthew 25:34-40. Matthew 25: Ministries provides food, water, clothing, shelter, medical care and humanitarian supplies to the poor. Matthew 25 supports education by shipping school supplies to children and providing micro-enterprise opportunities for adults.
History
Matthew 25: Ministries began as the result of a trip Founder and President Reverend Wendell Mettey made with a group of doctors and nurses to Nicaragua in 1990.
Seeing the poverty there, Pastor Mettey felt he needed to find a way to help the people of Nicaragua. He was able to develop a system to collect and redistribute food, clothing, personal care, cleaning, medical and educational supplies which were no longer useful by US standards.
Since 1991, Matthew 25 has established partners throughout the United States and around the world. Matthew 25 has grown from a small group of individuals carrying supplies in suitcases to an international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization distributing over 14,000,000 pounds of products around the world each year. In 2012, Matthew 25 surpassed one billion dollars in aid shipped around the world since 1991. In 2014 Matthew 25: Ministries topped 7,000 containers shipped, welcomed 80,000 visitors to the Global Village, and added an additional 46,000 square feet of warehouse space to the now 170,000 square foot facility.
Programs
Matthew 25: Ministries' primary distribution program is "Caring For a Needy World With the Things We Throw Away." Through this program, Matthew 25 distributes clothing, medical supplies, personal care items, school supplies, food and beverages, household supplies, cleaning products, reblended paint and micro-enterprise supplies. In addition to providing ongoing humanitarian aid, Matthew 25: Ministries has developed a number of programs designed to meet specific needs throughout the US and worldwide:
Volunteerism
Matthew 25: Ministries relies on volunteers to assist in their work. The majority of the donated goods received are evaluated, sorted, and processed by volunteers in preparation for shipment to various parts of the world. In 2014 nearly 50,000 volunteers donated their time serving those in need at Matthew 25: Ministries.
Matthew 25: Ministries and Disasters
Disaster Response: Matthew 25: Ministries works with partners in the affected areas in order to assist those in need.
Disaster Support Process: Matthew 25: Ministries ships pre-sorted, pre-processed, requested items that are appropriate and needed to the disaster area. This ensures that the products will bring relief to the victims instead of creating additional work for the responders in the area. According to UNDRO (United Nations Disaster Relief Organization), "The impulsive generosity of governments, organizations, and individuals alike can cause as much chaos and confusion as the disaster itself."
Natural Disaster Relief: Matthew 25: Ministries has responded to a variety of natural disasters including: Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, the 2012 Colorado wildfires, Hurricane Sandy, Oklahoma tornado in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, and the ebola outbreak in Liberia in 2014.
Affiliations
Matthew 25: Ministries maintains the following professional affiliations and associations: