Home(less) for
the Holidays

Matthew’s Hope ministers to the homeless every day of the year, providing food, clothing, medical and therapy services, job training, real employment opportunities, and most important, a transition from hopeless to hope.

Scott Billue started the homeless outreach ministry back in 2010, and the number of people they are able to serve continues to grow with every passing year. “We are at a 35% growth rate in the numbers of people who need our services. We’ve been doing this a while now and we have gotten pretty good at predicting what our budget needs to be to maintain our mission goals,” Scott says. “But a 35% increase is massive. Imagine you have a family of four and you go to work in the morning, like always. Then, you come home one night and your family of four is now 10. That is who Matthew’s Hope is serving every day. Couple that with the fact that unfortunately, this year has been especially hard for people everywhere. And, because we rely mostly on contributions from individuals and not from taxpayer-funded grants, I am very afraid that we will be facing serious difficulties going forward.”

Just like everyone else, fuel and food costs are hitting Matthew’s Hope especially hard, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Forty to sixty percent of the outreach ministry’s contributions come in from now through January. ‘Tis the season, right? Traditionally, it’s the season of giving. People tend to give more at the end of the year because of tax considerations and bonuses at work. When they have a good year, Matthew’s Hope has a good year. But this year looks vulnerable.

On top of all that, the holidays present special challenges that Scott and his dedicated staff have decided to address for 2026. They want to bring the magic of the season to all the children and adults they serve. “I remember when I was a kid, there was always a family or two whose children got every toy they could possibly want. That always bothered me, and it still does.”

Scott’s solution? The Matthew’s Hope Christmas Carnival! They’ll be inviting churches, civic groups, and clubs to erect tents and set up carnival games for the kids to play. Santa will put in an appearance, of course. But before he does, here’s the fun part: children will wind around in a maze through various displays of toys and goodies set up on tables. Santa helpers watch and listen as the kids ooh and ahh over what they see. They make notes of how each child reacts and after the carnival, they share that child’s “wish list” with parents. Then, Matthew’s Hope works out a budget for the parents based on points, not dollars, that parents can earn by working and helping out back at Matthew’s Hope.

But the holiday celebrations are for adults, too. Matthew’s Hope puts on a Christmas Party with music and a feast just for their homeless guests. They set up tables piled with donations collected from bins placed all around town. The brand-new clothing items get sorted into groups; hoodies, jeans, hats, gloves, shoes, and a miscellaneous table of necessities like flashlights, headphones, and speakers. Each adult gets to choose one item from each table. They’re served a delicious holiday meal. And they’re even invited to sit on Santa’s lap for a picture!

Yes, it’s ambitious. It’s hard. But it’s also a great way to celebrate the season. You want to help? Download the Matthew’s Hope app to donate much needed funds, food, and holiday gift items. “Everything that is Matthew’s Hope is on that app,” Scott says. Happy holidays and thank you for contributing an extra measure of hope at a time when it is most needed.