Statements

Mission

As a Christian nonprofit, Matthew 25 draws deeply from the life and teachings of Christ. Our work and mission are founded on His lessons of love, compassion and hospitality. It is out of a conviction in these teachings that we seek to offer Christ-centered care to our brothers facing the despair and hardships of homelessness, addiction and poverty. By doing so to "the least of these," we join in Christ's mission to offer help and hope to a broken and hurting world.

We are determined to alleviate homelessness by providing the resources for men to build a foundation on which they can transition to self-sufficiency. We recognize that these men have a need for structure, accountability, and ultimately hope for a brighter future. Our goal is to provide men the chance to escape the vicious cycle that is homelessness and addiction, helping them to become fulfilled and productive members of society.

Background

Matthew 25 opened in 1986 through the combined efforts of Fletch Coke and Ames Davis from Christ Church Cathedral and Cotton Clark and Sue Spickard from First Presbyterian Church. They recognized working, homeless men needed more structured and supportive housing than what was available in night-by-night programs. Their combined efforts resulted in the creation of a place from which homeless men could go to work, return to a home-like environment, and there, with the help of a caring staff, be taught the skills needed to live more effective lives. Matthew 25 opened its doors on 8th and Broadway with 22 beds. In 1991, it was relocated to Vine Hill Towers where 50 beds were made available. In December 2004, Matthew 25 started its Progressive Housing Program, which provides permanent apartments to "graduating" residents. This program serves to move residents from a group setting into a more self-sufficient setting.

Impact

In 2020, Matthew 25 has a list of accomplishments that we are proud of, especially considering the circumstances. Our top few:

1. 76% Housing Rate & 65% Employment rate for men in our programs
2. Kicking off our new Clinical Treatment Model
3. Keeping our programs running at full speed with a full staff, despite the COVID difficulties

We also have some big goals for the next year:

1. Increase the amount of men served by restoring our Transitional Housing Program back to a full capacity of 50 men
2. Host our annual Founders Breakfast celebration and fundraiser
3. Increase our awareness and donor base in Middle TN
4. Significantly upgrade the technology provided to men in our program to assist them in finding work, finding housing, and receiving telemedicine

Needs

1) Increase unrestricted revenue from private donations 2) Increase and strengthen the board of directors 3) Increase volunteer base 4) Furniture for residents in program and start-up permanent housing. 5) Improve marketing and awareness 6) Continue to find new funding sources to secure Matthew 25, Inc. legacy

Board Chair Statement

In the six years that I have been on the Board of Directors at Matthew 25, I have personally seen the success stories of clients that are told on this website and the Matthew 25 web site. The Matthew 25 program has been proven to help men pick themselves off the streets and make them once again a productive member of society. As more and more veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, their issues with Post Traumatic Syndrome will cause a larger population of homeless on the streets. Matthew 25 is prepared to work, in conjunction with caring benefactors, with Veterans to ensure that they get the care they deserve.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Housing, Shelter  - Temporary Housing
Secondary Category:	Housing, Shelter  - Homeless Shelters
Tertiary Category:	Human Services  - Homeless Services/Centers

Areas Served

TN - Davidson