Winter Garden Magazine March 2015 | Page 21

Anyone in need is invited as Matthew’s Hope’s guest on any Tuesday to discover hope and help. Meals are offered once a week: Tuesday: Breakfast: 9:30am Lunch: noon Dinner To-Go: 3:50pm in order to overcome the recurrence of this in their families. Firm Foundation Preschool offers free, safe childcare, allowing homeless parents to pursue education or work while avoiding the exorbitant cost of child care services. The school teaches through a montessoristyle approach and helps to develop fine motor skills and social and physical skills, all with a spiritual foundation. Although not their primary purpose, Matthew’s Hope has helped families with transitional housing since its inception. The organization rents or owns a number of recently remodeled and handsomely appointed homes, to provide families with the stability and security they deserve during a time that they are working towards the betterment of their family unit. The housing also provides the support of community from other men, women and children trying to move forward. Another ongoing and amazingly successful effort is the chemicalfree garden, located at the West Orange Church of Christ. The garden has expanded over the years, is fully irrigated, and provides consistent, meaningful work for many of the guests. In addition to utilizing the garden for sustenance, Matthew’s Hope also sells their produce to members of the community at a garden-side market and at the Winter Garden Farmers Market, and also to four local restaurants in the Winter Garden area. They boast a fruit orchard, an expansive vegetable garden, 400 blueberry plants, and a butterfly garden to help in the pollination of all of the plants, and hope to have an onsite greenhouse soon as well. When produce is available for community members to purchase (for a donation to the organization), signs are posted on Daniels Road and S.R. 535. Matthew’s Hope has become a wonderful resource to our fellow community members who are in need. Over the years, they have helped many families and individuals to re-establish the confidence and capability of functioning outside of the perpetuation of homelessness. They continue to be successful through the community’s support with funding, volunteer efforts and resources. For more information or to lend your assistance to their efforts, please visit www.matthewshopeministries.org or call 407.877.4673. Basic needs are also provided on Tuesdays, from 10am - 2pm. This includes: Clothing (donations accepted) Laundry services: volunteers graciously help to wash, dry and fold guests’ laundry. Groceries: Canned vegetables are free to anyone, and people in emergency are never turned away without food. But the remaining food from the pantry is available to guests after they earn points by working. (donations accepted) Showers: To demonstrate respect toward those seeking help and show them that they are deeply loved and valued by God, Matthew’s Hope shower trailer offers clean and refreshing showers, along with free clothing. Haircuts: Thanks to professional hair stylists who come and cut hair, guests don’t have to look homeless -- and if they look better, they might begin to believe in themselves enough to want to get off the streets or out of the woods. Hygiene and toiletries (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo) Medical Clinic (biweekly Tuesday): a mobile medical unit comes twice a month to serve guests with medical needs and concerns. Another volunteer offers advice about oral healthcare, teaching guests how to care for their teeth and gums. Benefits Assistance: MH helps guest apply for birth certificates, social security cards, Florida identification cards, cell phones, and food stamps. Volunteers of Ma ]