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Lots of ways Hernando residents can help make holidays better for needy children

 
Monte Patterson, founder/director of The Matthew Project, making a final delivery of Christmas gifts lsat year for homeless children at DS Parrott Middle School.  Courtesy Monte Patterson
Monte Patterson, founder/director of The Matthew Project, making a final delivery of Christmas gifts lsat year for homeless children at DS Parrott Middle School. Courtesy Monte Patterson
Published Nov. 12, 2018

By Gail Hollenbeck

Times Correspondent

Two local faith-based organizations are helping needy children have a happy Christmas — the Matthew Project and Jericho Road Ministries.

The Matthew Project has been helping families in need since 2010, when founder Monte Patterson was asked by people working with the BackPack Food Program to provide Christmas gifts for homeless children and their siblings within the school system in the Brooksville area.

"Last year, our sponsors provided Christmas for over 369 homeless and extremely impoverished children," Patterson said. "Since the ministry began, our sponsors have provided Christmas for over 1869 children attending Hernando County Schools."

Names of children are supplied by school staffers who administer the backpack programs. Sponsors include churches, businesses, organization and individuals.

"If it weren't for the selfless generosity of these sponsors, many of these children would go without a Christmas," Patterson said.

Individuals who would like to provide gifts for a child can contact Patterson for a connection to one of this year's sponsors: Century 21Alliance Realty, Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church of Brooksville, Providence Church, Spring Lake United Methodist Church, Stable Faith Cowboy Church, Family First Assembly of God and Hernando Connects.

Donors will get information sheets that explain the program and give instructions about wrapping and labeling gifts. No personal information about donors will be included on the boxes. Tags state, "With Love, From God."

The Matthew Project will distribute children's information to sponsors from Nov. 18 through Dec. 16. Donors should drop off gifts by Dec. 16. The ministry will deliver gifts to the schools from Dec. 17-21.

Cash donations and gift cards [preferably to Walmart] are accepted year-round but especially now through Dec. 24. Checks should be made out to The Matthew Project and mailed to P.O. Box 461, Brooksville, FL 34605.

"We also provide church information for each child, so if they do not currently have a church they attend, they know there is one that already loves them and provides them with the ultimate hope," Patterson said. "All these gifts and hope are ultimately from God, as we are only stewards of his gifts and hope."

Contact Patterson at (352) 279-5985, send email to mpfepc@aol.com or email text to 3522795985@txt.att.net. Learn more on Facebook at thematthewproject1225/

Jericho Road Ministries will host its 21st Annual Christmas Eve Luncheon at the First United Methodist Church, 109 S Broad St., Brooksville. Last year, 393 families were served at the luncheon. Everyone is invited.

"We try our best to ensure that each child gets at least one gift to take home," said Cheryl Hart, who serves with the ministry. "In addition, we provide gifts for the children of the families who reside at our Family Shelter during the Christmas season."

Age-appropriate gifts go to children ages one month to 17 years.

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"Having the community provide gifts for the children at this occasion will truly be a blessing," Hart said. "It gives us as much pleasure to give the gifts as it is for the children receiving them. The look on their faces is priceless. For some of these children, this may be the only gift they receive at Christmas."

To help, drop off gifts and toys at the Stewardship Office at 1163 Howell Ave. in Brooksville by Dec. 21. Gifts may be mailed to the ministry at P.O. Box 864, Brooksville, FL 34605. Checks should be received by Dec. 17 to allow time for gifts to be purchased.