Hurricane Eta made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane along the coast of Nicaragua on November 3^rd

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2020 CINCINNATI, OH – Matthew 25: Ministries is responding to Hurricane Eta, which made landfall Tuesday, November 3^rd as a Category 4 hurricane near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua.  The extremely powerful hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph at landfall, and dropped to tropical storm status with 70 mph winds by Wednesday morning. The slow moving storm is still very active and could deliver catastrophic, life threatening flash flooding and landslides due to torrential rainfall. Rainfall totals of up to 15-25 inches and up to 40 inches in isolated areas are expected in various parts of Central America through the weekend. Forecast models show Eta re-entering the Caribbean Sea and approaching the U.S. coast, potentially impacting Florida early next week.

Matthew 25: Ministries is working with on the ground partners to provide aid to the hardest hit areas. Matthew 25 will be shipping relief supplies to the disaster region, including personal care supplies, household and cleaning products, blankets and more. For over 20 years, Matthew 25: Ministries has provided critical first response necessities and long-term assistance to distribution partners in disaster areas, domestically and internationally, to support relief and recovery efforts.  The aid Matthew 25: Ministries provides offers life-sustaining and often life-saving assistance to people struggling in the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster.

Matthew 25: Ministries has been responding to disasters in Central America since 1998, when Matthew 25 collaborated with the US Air Force through the Denton Program to ship more than 1,400 tons (almost 3 million pounds) of supplies to countries affected by Hurricane Mitch, including Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. The hurricane was the deadliest hurricane in Central American history, causing over 11,000 fatalities in Central America due to catastrophic flooding from the slow motion of the storm.

Matthew 25 is requesting donations of the following types of items to supplement existing supplies and for distributions and restocking during their Eta response:

• Monetary Donations: Donate online at www.m25m.org/donate, mail checks to Matthew 25: Ministries, 11060 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242 (100% of donated funds designated for Hurricane Eta Relief will be used for the purpose intended)
• Personal Care Products: Antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, 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.
• Clean-up Supplies: Protective eyewear, work gloves, masks, shovels, screwdrivers, saws, trash bags etc.
• Candles and Flashlights: If necessary, please include the appropriate size batteries with any flashlight donation.

For the most current information on Matthew 25: Ministries’ activities, please visit their website https://m25m.org/disaster/eta20 or follow Matthew 25 on Facebook facebook.com/m25m.org, Instagram instagram.com/m25m.org and Twitter twitter.com/M25M.org. For more in-depth information about Matthew 25: Ministries’ humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts or to schedule an interview, please contact Joodi Archer joodi@m25m.org.

Matthew 25: Ministries accepts cash, credit card and internet donations for ongoing disaster aid and humanitarian relief programs. All designated funds are used for the purpose intended. For the most up-to-date information about Matthew 25: Ministries’ humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts please contact Joodi Archer joodi@m25m.org or call (513) 793-6256.

ABOUT MATTHEW 25: MINISTRIES: Matthew 25: Ministries rescues and reuses approximately 14,500,000 pounds of products each year and redistributes them to people in desperate need throughout the US and worldwide. Each year, Matthew 25: Ministries impacts the lives of more than 18,000,000 individuals throughout the United States and around the world.  Matthew 25 is ranked on Forbes’ list of America’s Top Charities. Matthew 25 is also highly ranked among approximately 3,500 four-star charities on Charity Navigator. 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 Joodi Archer at Matthew 25: Ministries (513) 793-6256 joodi@m25m.org or visit www.m25m.org.