WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Inside the resource center at Matthew’s Hope Ministries, volunteers and donations keep the charity stocked with supplies to feed, clothe, clean, cut hair, wash laundry and provide jobs for those on the streets with a real desire to turn their lives around.

Outside the building, those like Denise Fisher take it a step further – Fisher is one who rides along on the new mobile unit to reach people where they are in the streets.

What You Need To Know

  • Matthew’s Hope Ministries is a Central Florida charity driving mobile units out into communities to help the homeless

  • Each van contains necessities like food, clothing and hygiene items

  • Members say there’s a rise in the number of homeless they’re seeing, and emphasize the need for donations

The van carries Fisher to parks nearby, known to host camps of people living on benches or in tents or simple sleeping bags. There, the ride is recognized by all. Necessities like hot meals, nonperishable foods, shampoo and soap, clothes and underwear, are all distributed.

Some items are even specially ordered by request, when possible. Fisher and her staff coordinator, Charlene DeWitz recently got a man a new wheelchair.

“I love you,” DeWitz shares an emotional moment with her friend, Fisher.

“I love you, too,” she responds with a hug and a laugh.

For the past five years, Fisher’s been volunteering and serving on the ministry’s board. The time she spends is strictly free-time – her day job takes her elsewhere, selling insurance, but she keeps coming back, because she finds that helping people helps herself, too.

“I’m just so thrilled to be a part of a community that wants to help and give back,” Fisher lauds the folks who donate to keep the mission going.

“You know, there is a huge homeless population. And the face of the homeless is changing. With the high rises of apartments going up, and housing here in Central Florida, we’re seeing more and more people living in their cars, living in the park,” she adds.

Fisher and DeWitz get out in the van twice a week. They carefully keep track of the stock they have, and what they need after assisting each person.

Matthew’s Hope Ministries Founder and CEO Scott Billue says over 10,000 people have been served over the 12 years the ministry’s been going. Lately, they serve as many as 400 people per week.

But the help is tracked by more than just the number of people served. Billue puts it this way, that “each interaction such as laundry service, haircut, shower, medical, etc., counts as a ‘touch.’

“An example would be, on Tuesday we serve 185 people, which accounted for just shy of 1,100 touches. On that day we went through $15,000 in resources which would include such things as food, clothing, hygiene…in addition, more than $4,500 in medical services.”

That’s why Fisher emphasizes the importance of volunteers and, above all, donations. The ministry, she says, takes no government funding at this time.

“There's a job for everybody. Maybe you don’t have the resources of money, but maybe you’re retired and could spend a couple of hours,” is Fisher’s motto.

“The support of volunteers is really lifesaving, for some,” is how DeWitz puts it. “We show everyone love who we come across, and just give a hand up and just help people."

Although Fisher would never draw any attention to herself or claim the title for herself, her peers would consider her an ‘Everyday Hero.’

You can read more about the mission and how to get involved here.