We are often asked, “How did Matthew 25 Outreach Center get started?” 

We invite you to read the brief story of the businessman and the angel to see how God began working through us to care for those in need.

It was a cold, winter day. 

The snow was falling, the winds were sharp, and the temperature was frigid. The businessman parked his car and walked toward the office building for his meeting. As the businessman neared the building, he noticed a homeless man on the steps of the building. The homeless man bore a scruffy beard, tangled dirty hair, and skin that was muted in a way that told others he had not showered for quite some time. He was dressed in several layers of dirty, tattered clothes. He stood on the steps of the office building with his hand outstretched in anticipation that someone would reach out to help.

As the businessman came closer to the steps, the sad brown eyes of the homeless man locked his gaze. The businessman quickly looked away, as if to ignore the homeless man, and then entered the building to avoid any interaction.

After a short meeting, the businessman left the building, again encountering the same homeless man on the steps. Once again, the homeless man had his hand extended. And once again, the businessman passed by without offering any help.

Throughout the remainder of the day, the businessman felt a tremendous tug on his heart. He was upset with himself for not helping the homeless man. His thoughts were overrun with worry for the homeless man. That same night, as he lay sleeping in his comfortable, warm bed, the voice of Jesus spoke to him.

Jesus said, “I came to meet you today. I was there. I was the one with my hand out.”

When the businessman startled from sleep, he realized he had missed an opportunity to serve Jesus. Not just once, but on two separate occasions, the businessman had missed the opportunity to offer help and show love.

Jesus could have turned his back on the businessman for not helping or loving others. Instead, Jesus stayed with the businessman, knowing that he would listen to God and use the gifts God had given him to make a difference in the world. That difference took the shape of Matthew 25 Outreach Center.

God has called Matthew 25 Outreach Center to feed the hungry in Ashland, Medina, and Richland counties.

Like many areas throughout the Midwest, local economies once thrived, with numerous industries offering an abundance of jobs. These economies had been growing and schools were thriving. Unfortunately, tough economic conditions hit the local area, causing factories and businesses to close. Jobs were lost, and many people fell on hard times. The faith-based community stepped in to offer much-needed assistance through a variety of food pantries scattered across the region; but many of these churches and food pantries fell on hard times too. Many have since closed, leaving thousands of people wondering where to find their next meal. With so many hungry people, it begs the question of the servants: where do we begin?

Service

Established as a 501(c)(3) (non-profit) organization, our focus is on two key areas of service:

1. Produce Distributions

2. Food Box Program for Seniors

Relationships

Our desire is to provide a large variety of fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables (as well as tasty bonus products from time to time), while also building trust, creating lasting relationships, and sharing God’s love with all we encounter.

Walk-up guests always have the choice of selecting any products desired. For those with disabilities (vehicle is equipped with a disability placard), we will offer “car hop” service, where food items are selected for the guest and taken directly to the vehicle. In addition, for anyone with a physical disability who is unable to come to our walk-up distribution, home delivery service is available. Unfortunately, due to limited drivers and limited truck capacity, home delivery is limited to 4 items only, and guests receiving home delivery do NOT have a choice of items. Home delivery must be scheduled in advance.

Community

Those who serve in our ministry are drawn from many communities and organizations in and around the area. This ecumenical approach allows community-building across many lines. We welcome all volunteers with a heart to serve as if we are serving Jesus. Please contact us if you would like to serve alongside other Matthew 25 Outreach Center volunteers.

Growth

Being called to meet the needs of the community in which we serve, we are always open to new ways to serve. We know that new ministries will grow out of our current services and, as such, we assume great responsibility in being sure we remain focused on providing the highest level of service without duplicating services that may already exist within neighboring organizations.