Matthew 25 Ships Supplies to Puerto Rico in Response to High Winds and Severe Flooding

SEPTEMBER 21, 2022  Blue Ash, OH – Matthew 25: Ministries, a humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization headquartered in Blue Ash, OH is responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico. The Category 1 hurricane struck Puerto Rico with destructive winds on Sunday, 09/18, knocking out power to the entire island population of over 3 million and leaving behind life-threatening flash flooding and the potential for mudslides and landslides. Wind gusts reached 50 to 100 sustained mph with the strongest gust clocked at 103 mph.  The storm initially made landfall along the southwestern coast of the island and many locations experienced rainfall of over 10 inches, with some experiencing up to 20 inches or more.

Matthew 25: Ministries has ongoing partner relationships serving Puerto Rico with whom they are in communication. They will be working with their partners to ship containers of aid to Puerto Rico and assess ongoing needs. The shipments will include supplies needed to help with the recovery process and to help bring aid to those affected by this disaster.

Almost five years ago to the day, Puerto Rico was battered by Hurricane Maria, a powerful Category 4 storm, with winds up to 155 mph that also knocked out the entire power grid.  Maria came on the heels of Hurricane Irma, which had also heavily damaged the island. In the months immediately following Hurricane Maria, Matthew 25 shipped 21 containers of aid, almost half a million pounds, to on-the-ground partners and also sent a medical mission team that spent two weeks on the ground providing medical care to approximately 900 people, and distributing disaster supplies to approximately 10,000 people.  Matthew 25 also distributed more than 30,000 water purifier sachets (the prepared equivalent of 16 truckloads of water).

Matthew 25 is requesting donations of the following types of items to supplement existing supplies, for restocking during their response and for 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 Hurricane Fiona Relief 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, 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.
  • New and in original packaging: Power tools, fans, generators, etc.

Matthew 25 has responded to multiple disasters in 2022, including the flooding in Eastern Kentucky and Virginia, the Goshen, OH tornadoes, the March tornado outbreak, flooding in Pakistan and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and is continuing to provide long-term disaster recovery to 2021 disasters such as the December tornado outbreak in Kentucky. So far in 2022, Matthew 25: Ministries has shipped approximately 750 truckloads of aid (more than 15 million pounds) to partners domestically and internationally and helped more than 18 million people.

For the most current information on Matthew 25: Ministries’ activities, please visit their website or follow Matthew 25 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 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 ranked on Forbes’ 2021 list of the Largest U.S. Charities. Matthew 25 is also highly ranked among more than 3,700 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 Michelle Jones mjones@m25m.org at Matthew 25: Ministries (513) 793-6256, or visit www.m25m.org.