Matthew 25’s Disaster Response Team will Distribute Supplies to Impacted Areas and Work With Partners To Assess Ongoing Needs

AUGUST 14, 2023 Blue Ash, OH – Matthew 25: Ministries, a humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization headquartered in Blue Ash, OH is sending a Disaster Team to Hawaii as part of their response to the destructive wildfires devastating Maui. Dangerous wildfires have ravaged Maui, destroying island communities including the historic town of Lahaina. In the past few days, the death toll has risen to more than 90, making this disaster the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years.

In addition to shipping containers of essential supplies such as personal care kits, baby supplies, paper products, cleaning supplies, first aid and safety kits, personal protective equipment and more to areas impacted by the wildfires, Matthew 25 is also deploying a team to assist with supply distribution, provide additional services and work with partners to plan for ongoing needs.  Matthew 25 is assessing safety and accessibility and will be deploying once they are confident that they can gain access into the areas of need.

“The devastation from this wildfire is heartbreaking. This is a historic event in the most tragic sense of the word, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been impacted by this disaster,” says Tim Mettey, CEO of Matthew 25: Ministries. “Everyone who has been affected will have a long and challenging recovery and we are grateful to our corporate product donors, financial donors and volunteers who support our work every day and make it possible for us to help during times of need like these. Matthew 25 is committed to ongoing support for the areas impacted.”

Matthew 25 is requesting monetary and product donations to supplement existing supplies and for restocking during their response to this current and future disasters.

Monetary donations: Donate online or mail checks to Matthew 25: Ministries, 11060 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, OH 45242 (100% of donated funds designated for the 2023 Hawaii Wildfires will be used for the purpose intended).

Product donations – The following product donations will be accepted at our facility located at 11083 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, OH 45242:

• • Cases of bottled water (12- and 24- count)
  • Personal care products: Antibacterial soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, lotion, etc.
  • Cleaning supplies: Laundry detergents, general cleaner, sponges, bleach (powdered form is preferred), mops, scrub brushes, buckets, rubber gloves, etc.
  • Paper products: Toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
  • Baby and infant supplies: Diapers, wipes, diaper rash ointment, baby wash, baby shampoo, baby lotion, etc.
  • First-aid items: Bandages, gauze, pads, first aid tape, antiseptic creams, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, latex gloves, instant cold packs, etc.
  • Candles and flashlights: If necessary, please include the appropriate size batteries with any flashlight donation.
  • Clean-up supplies: Protective eyewear, work gloves, trash bags etc.

Matthew 25 responds to disasters domestically and internationally and provides both rapid response and long-term support. In 2023, Matthew 25 has responded to disasters including multiple recent storms and tornado outbreaks, Fort Lauderdale flooding, Syria and Turkey earthquakes, the East Palestine train derailment, additional storms and tornadoes, and is continuing response for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Matthew 25: Ministries has shipped approximately 22 million pounds of supplies in 2023, including approximately 8 million pounds of disaster relief, and helped almost 26 million people.

For the most current information on Matthew 25: Ministries’ activities, please visit their website https://m25m.org/disaster/hifires23/ or follow Matthew 25 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/m25m.org, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m25m_org/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/M25M_org. For more in-depth information about Matthew 25: Ministries’ humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts, please contact Michelle Jones mjones@m25m.org.

Matthew 25: Ministries accepts cash, check, credit card and online donations for ongoing humanitarian aid and disaster relief programs, as well as product donation support. Matthew 25 also welcomes volunteers six days a week at their Blue Ash facility.

ABOUT MATTHEW 25: MINISTRIES: Matthew 25: Ministries rescues and reuses approximately 15,000,000 pounds of products each year and redistributes them to the poorest of the poor and disaster victims. Each year, Matthew 25: Ministries impacts the lives of more than 20,000,000 individuals throughout the United States and around the world. Matthew 25 is included on Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Top 100 Charities, is a 4-star nonprofit on Charity Navigator and has earned a Platinum-Level Candid Exchange seal. Matthew 25: Ministries is accredited by the Better Business Bureau through the “Wise Giving Alliance Standards.” For more information, or to schedule an interview, contact Michelle Jones mjones@m25m.org at Matthew 25: Ministries (513) 793-6256, or visit https://m25m.org/.