Give the gift of a strong foundation

The first night Biggest and his wife came to Matthew House, there was no room for them. They slept on a couch in the basement, just thankful to have somewhere safe to rest their heads.

They were desperate to have somewhere to call home. After coming to Canada from the Democratic Republic of Congo, it seemed everything had gone wrong for the young couple. They quickly ran out of money. Biggest’s wife ended up hospitalized. When they heard about Matthew House, it felt like an answer to their prayers.

It’s people just like you who give newcomers the comfort and support of a fresh start at Matthew House. Will you make your year-end gift to Matthew House Ottawa today so we can continue helping newcomers get on their feet in a new country? Your donations provide our residents with the resources they need to rebuild their lives - often after surviving what to you and me can seem unimaginable.

For Biggest and his wife, a few months at Matthew House changed everything. They were able to find jobs and secure housing. Biggest tells me they were taken aback by the generosity of our supporters: “people who do this with so much of their heart and their love for people that they don’t know, for strangers that have nothing!”

Wanting to give back themselves, Biggest and his wife later became the Matthew House host family! They spent two years mentoring newcomers, and welcoming refugees in our family-style environment alongside our committed volunteers and donors.

Right now you can help us provide this same welcome to newcomers in need. Because of committed individuals like you, I’m so proud to share we opened our second Matthew House Ottawa location this year. It's an 11-bedroom house that is well-equipped to serve even more refugees in need – but we can’t do it without you. Please donate now.

Today, Biggest and his wife are thriving. They have two children and own a home. Biggest works at a stable job that he enjoys. They took the strong foundation given to them by Matthew House supporters and built a new life.

You can help give people a new start in these uncertain times. Your gift to Matthew House today will help cover the costs of running our two refugee houses during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. You’ll ensure we can keep the lights on, feed the residents a hot dinner, offer a safe place to sleep, and provide essential settlement support as they get on their feet.

Thank you for your wonderful generosity. May God bless you and keep you safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Allan

Allan Reesor-McDowell
Executive Director
Matthew House Ottawa

Since 2010, Matthew House Ottawa has welcomed hundreds of refugee claimants, and provided quality used furniture to about 6000 families in need. We have done this as a large, dedicated team of volunteers and a small handful of employees, with a lot of passion and commitment. Thank you for helping to make this important work possible!