Sunday Dinners at Matthew 25

Announcing Sunday Dinners at Matthew 25: a new initiative through which we plan to reconnect with our local community.

For years, we have had supporters come by our facility to serve a meal and break bread with our men. While this has always been a regular occurrence, we now want to make this a formal tradition at Matthew 25. Our goal is to have individuals, congregations, restaurants and community groups provide and serve dinner for all 52 Sundays of the year. 

Not only would this support Matthew 25 financially and operationally, but more importantly it would give a weekly boost to the spirit and morale of the men we serve. It is hard to describe how much simple camaraderie can improve the outlook of a man who is working through personal adversity. 

These dinners would serve as a regular reminder that there are countless folks in the community who care for them, believe in them, and want to back them on journey to a brighter future. This type of personal, intimate encouragement provides a level of support that you simply cannot measure in dollars. 

Our Sunday Dinners initiative offers regular opportunities to support the men we serve, and we are excited to connect and work with the wonderful people and organizations here in Middle Tennessee that are eager for new ways to partner with us. 

If you are interested in providing a Sunday Dinner, please fill out the form below, or simply reach out to: mmiller@matthew25nashville.org

Local Boy Scout to Refurbish Matthew 25 Patio

Recently Matthew 25 was contacted by a local Boy Scout, Nathan Gafney, who is a junior at Pope John Paul II. Nathan was researching organizations for his Eagle Scout project and chose Matthew 25 as his beneficiary.

The purpose of an Eagle Scout project is to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or the community. Nathan plans to pressure wash the patio, clean and scrub all handrails, and then personally build chairs, picnic tables, planter boxes and cornhole boards to place in the patio area. This project will be quite the transformation of this space!

“I chose Matthew 25 for my Eagle Scout Project because both of my parents and grandfathers are veterans,” said Nathan. “I really wanted to do something to support veterans in need. Veterans have done so much for us and our country so I think it's important to give back to those in our community that have made sacrifices.”

SUPPORT NATHAN: https://gofund.me/ae7269cc

We know that Nathan’s work will make our patio more enjoyable and functional for years to come, providing a space where our men can relax and socialize with others progressing through our housing programs. We are so thankful for Nathan who has been so proactive in supporting our work! We can’t wait to provide an update in the fall of his progress.

The existing Matthew 25 patio space.

The existing Matthew 25 patio space.

Matthew 25 Adds New Board Member

We are excited to announce that we have added a new member, Lisa Woodruff, to our Board of Directors! Lisa will help to strengthen and diversify our leadership team with her knowledge, passion and skillset. We know that she will be a fantastic addition to our organization as we look towards the future.

Lisa is a Vice President with Turner & Townsend, where she oversees their Central USA business and their Retail sector globally. Lisa is a University of Illinois graduate and a licensed Architect. She is married to her husband of 24 years, Mark, and has two children, Quentin (20), Walter (18). Lisa is passionate about helping young children and serving her communities. She is Turner & Townsend’s Corporate Responsibility Lead for the US business and serves on the YMCA of Middle Tennessee Property Committee and ACE National and Nashville Advisory Councils.

“I was motivated to join M25 because I believe in their work and mission,” said Lisa. “Several of my family members have served in the military and/or have struggled with substance abuse. The opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, and perhaps save one, is worth the effort. I was drawn in by a fellow board member and friend by his passion for Matthew 25’s work and mission. With my background in architecture, construction and business, combined with my passion for Corporate Responsibility, I hope to help Matthew 25 both achieve our goals for the short term and realize our vision for the future.”

Lisa Woodruff

Lisa Woodruff

Matthew 25 Raises $11,055 on The Big Payback!

Every May, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee hosts The Big Payback, a 24 hour online giving event that supports hundreds of local organizations.

Matthew 25 raised $11,055 through 50+ individual gifts! These dollars will go directly towards helping veterans and homeless men in Middle Tennessee chart a path out of homelessness, find work and permanent housing, and become fulfilled and productive members of society once again. We could not accomplish our mission without your support. Thank you to all who helped lift up our community!

Matthew 25 Partners with Local Churches for Communion Services

We are excited to announce that we have begun to partner with local churches to provide services of Holy Communion to the men we serve. Rev. Jed Hanes, Matthew 25’s Director of Operations, is a provisional deacon seeking ordination in the United Methodist Church. Jed will be leading this fruitfulness project as a part of his ordination process and is seeking to partner with various  faith leaders to reconnect M25 residents with the church. 

Our first Communion took place on Monday, April 26. We were blessed by the presence of Reverend Pat Freudenthal, who serves as District Superintendent of the Red River District for the United Methodist Church. Pat met and spoke with our men, giving a short sermon and serving Communion to all. 

“This is an ecumenical appeal to be able to extend the table of God’s grace and love to our residents, and to remind them that the love of God has not forgotten them,” mentioned Rev. Hanes. "Believing that faith formation, participation in the sacraments and connecting to a larger community of faith in particular, are integral components to reestablishing one’s place in reclaiming their life, we hope that this will aid our men in this vital part of their recovery. 

After just a few short days of asking, we already have more than five dates filled for pastors who have committed to preside at Communion services, a few of whom are making monthly commitments to do so."

Monday was a special evening for the men we serve, and we are anticipating many more like it! We are so thankful for Jed’s leadership and the support of local faith leaders, especially Reverend Pat who so willingly heeded our request. Please reach out to us if your church may have interest in partnering with Matthew 25.