Special to IFN

The Statesville Woman’s Club recently held its October meeting and welcomed guest speaker Rev. Dr. Clyde Parker, executive director of Matthew 25 Ministries in Harmony, along with his wife Angela.

Matthew 25 Ministries was formed 13 years ago by a number of local ministers to help those in need in the northern end of Iredell County. Matthew 25 Ministries has grown to be one of the few food banks that gives away meat, helps with clothing and assists with bills.

Rev. Parker shared the brokenness of the individuals who come to Matthew 25 Ministries and the importance of not judging them as they may be experiencing a rough patch due to circumstances beyond their control. Through prayer, devotion, food and fellowship, Matthew 25 Ministries is a beacon of hope and opportunity to help those who are in need in the northern end of Iredell County.

In September the nonprofit helped 325 families, a 30 percent increase from last year, with 1,700 pounds of food distributed. To help personalize the needs of those they serve, Matthew 25 Ministries has a ticket system in place matching quantities of food to their needs. In addition to helping those in Iredell County and surrounding counties, Matthew 25 Ministries also goes out of state by partnering with a county in West Virginia. They delivered 40,000 pounds of pork to the community in West Virginia in September.

Thanks to a recent grant from Duke Energy for $67,000 Matthew 25 Ministries was able to help 57 people after they committed to taking a finance class. Recently, they were able to purchase a mobile home and have been able to assist a family. In the thrift store every piece of clothing is sorted by a team of volunteers and then laundered before making it into thrift store.

Those who are in need or want to help can reach out to Matthew 25 Ministries by calling 704-546-5889. They are located at 3223 Harmony Highway in Harmony next to the IGA grocery store. They also host a community breakfast the second Tuesday of every month.

During October, the Statesville Woman’s Club is hosting a clothing drive to help support Matthew 25 Ministries’ thrift store.

Next Meeting

The next club meeting will be held on Thursday, November 7, at the historic clubhouse located at 515 West End Avenue in Statesville. There will be a time of fellowship at 5:30 p.m. and a meeting at 6 p.m. The meeting will be a fun time assembling Christmas cards for local seniors and veterans. All members, guests and interested women are invited to attend.

Learn More

For information about renting the Statesville Woman’s Club’s Clubhouse for your meeting or event, email the club at Statesvillewomansclub@gmail.com or call 704-761-8208. The club website is www.statesvillewomansclub.org. For details on joining the Statesville Woman’s Club, contact Membership Team member Joanna Gaither at 704-873-2684.