WINTER GARDEN
PRIDE
M
atthew’s Hope is a homeless outreach program based here in
Winter Garden. It began in 2010 as a response to bad weather
when temperatures were dipping below 39 degrees. The cold weather
prompted founder Pastor Scott Billue to begin asking churches in the
area to help house the homeless population caught outside. The West
Orange Church of Christ eagerly agreed and over the course of three
months, let people sleep, eat and stay warm inside their building,
sometimes days at a time.
Karen Gowing heard about the freeze warning ministry and
volunteered to help, cleaning bathrooms and helping to feed the people.
When the temperatures warmed up, Pastor Scott and Karen could
not just walk away from the ؝