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The Vote Is In
Thank you so much for your participation! We had a great response—65% of you voted electronically, with a total of 110 votes cast. We’re excited to announce that the Main Charity for 2025–2026 will be Eight Waves, receiving the most votes with 53 votes (48%). In second place was The Russell Home for Atypical Children, with 40 votes (36%), and our new contender, the West Orange Dream Center, received 17 votes (15%). The Charities have been notified whether they were selected or not.
The Charity Letter requesting donations will be sent out in September, and volunteering opportunities will be available this year. Thank you again for your continued support!.
Alice Bergeson – President
Eight Waves
““Eight Waves is a local nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families thrive. Poverty isn’t some distant issue; it’s happening right here in our own neighborhoods of West Orange County. That’s why Eight Waves shows up, for one local child at a time. We meet kids where they are with food when there’s none at home, hygiene items when there’s nothing in the cabinet, free tutoring, literacy support, and summer camps when families can’t afford them, and real-life opportunities that help them believe in something bigger.
We expose children to careers they’ve never seen before, opening their eyes to new possibilities, building confidence, and helping them dream beyond their circumstances. Last year, we stood beside 1,574 local children making sure they felt seen, supported, and never alone. This is what it means to break the cycle of poverty—together.” Www.Eightwaves.org
Donations to Eight Waves will fund projects that WOW members can participate in, coordinated by Laura Radiu.s
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In the past our members contributed to the following:
Our annual Charity Letter
Spring Egg Auction
Jewelry sales
50/50
$1000 Raffle
Change for Charity
miscellaneous charity gifts
Designated Giving with our ORANGE PIG
Food Drives
Candy for Kids
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Christmas Cards
Every year the ladies fill out cards for our local retired veterans.This usually takes place at the November or December luncheon.
50/50
At every monthly luncheon we sell raffle tickets, 3 for a $1. Half the money collected goes to our charity, and the rest goes to the holder of the winning ticket. Cynthia Johnson-Guarino won at the December luncheon.
Charity Letters
Once a year our members receive a letter asking for a cash donation for our charity. the total for 2024 -2025 was $5205.
Jewelry Sales
WOW raises money for our charity by selling our gently loved jewelry. Thank you to all that bought or donated jewelry. Gently loved jewelry may be donated at any luncheon or given to a Board member.
Book Sales
We are now raising money by selling used books periodically at our luncheons for a dollar each.
ONGOING.....
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Our new 4th VP in charge of coordinating charity activities is
Linda Pintro
Liasons for our charities are:
  
Matthew's Hope - Karen Tiffany
The Russell Home for Atypical Children- Darby Turnipseed
Eight Waves - Laura Radius
WOW - Charity Letter 2024 -2025
To date 69 members (43%) have generously donated $5,205 to be used for the 2024-2025 charities - Matthew's Hope and The Russell Home for Atypical Children. Donations are still being accepted. If you did not receive an email acknowledgement of your donation, please contact Cynthia Johnson-Guarino.
........Louise and Laura
The ladies of WOW donated two trunk loads
of items for the hygiene drive for 8 Waves. thanks you Ladies!
Laura R preparing a Thanksgiving meal at Eight Waves
Patti W and Laura R manning the collection
of toys donated by WOW
A message from Matthew's Hope
The Homeless of our community are simply a reflection of society. They are us! Nurses, Teachers, NASA Engineer, Pastors, Executives, Prostitutes, Abused Women & Children, Foster Kids, People suffering with Mental Illness, Drug Addicts, Alcoholics, Drunks, senior citizens.... Life can change swiftly. It doesn't care what color you are, how successful you have been... What role are you playing?
We are excited to share that our new Matthew's Hope Chest Store and Boutique opened on Saturday August 22 at 10:00 AM! The Store features real wood furniture and home decor, much of it custom built, repaired, refinished or repurposed in our Hope Chest Workshop. In addition, the store offers wood furniture and decor that can be purchased as is, prepped for refinishing or we can completely refinish pieces to your specifications.
The Hope Chest Store also features a Boutique of higher end clothing that has been donated to Matthew's Hope but is not useful to our homeless friends. These items are sold to purchase the items we do need. To learn more, make a donation of wood furniture, decor or clothing, please contact Sharlene@MatthewsHopeMinistries.org
Can you help?
Feeding, providing hygiene and clothing to hundreds of people each week is a daunting task but with our Community Partners, we have been able to continue, even while others have stepped back, stepped away, or shut down all together. Can You help in some way, partner with us, or just need more information? Please call 407.905.9500 or contact us at info@MatthewsHopeMinistries.
(We also need Canvas Bags to put it all in... maybe your business has some Promotional Canvas Bags you can spare?)
Single Serving Food Items Needed:
Ramen Noodles
Fruit ( Mixed, Mandarin Orange,
Pears, etc.)
Canned Meats (Vienna Sausages, SPAM)
Beef Stew
Cereal
Pastas with Meat
chicken
tuna
chili
weenies and beanies
snack crackers
granola bars
nuts
water
Please no expired food or food that needs to be prepared
Gatorade or Crystal Light Single Mix Packets
Instant Coffee (Small)
Travel Size Hygiene Items:
Wet Wipes/Wet Ones
Gold Bond Powder
Men's & Women's Shaving Cream
Men's Razors
Toilet Paper
Men's & Women's Deodorant
Insect Repellent
Clothing:
Jeans (New/Gently Used) small sizes
Running or Mesh Style Shoes (New/Gently Used)
Men's (New) Boxer Briefs
Ladies (New) Underwear, gently used bras
Ladies Sports Bras (New or Gently Used)
To donate financially, TEXT MHM to 41444 or https://www.matthewshopeministries.org/donate-money or https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VKPYQMEN5UP2S
Donations can be delivered or shipped to 611 Business Park Blvd. #101 Winter Garden 34787 Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm or by appointment. Please go around back of building by the Hope Chest Workshop with donations and look for the Arrow.
If you can’t get by to bring pantry items to us, would you prayerfully consider ordering online and having your donation delivered directly to us; or donate financially instead in the same amount you may have otherwise purchased? Without you, we cannot continue to care for the homeless men, women and children of our community.
Meal Sponsors Needed
Over the past few months we have been blessed to have had a number of individuals, families, churches and local businesses sponsor a Breakfast or a Lunch. Each has either prepared or purchased enough food to feed about 125 people each Tuesday and Thursday since our Matthew's Hope Ministry Response Team was forced to go mobile due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.
It costs $200 to $250 to sponsor a breakfast, and about $350 to sponsor a lunch. Hope Church, The Crossing Church of Clermont, Chick-fil-a, Subway, Jersey Mike's, and Hardee's to name just a few have come alongside us to keep it going. Would you prayerfully consider being next? Desire to help in some way or need more information? Call 407.905.9500 or contact us at info@MatthewsHopeMinistries.org
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