Matthew 25 Ministry: Celebrating 125 Years of Giving Through Service

For 125 years, Annunciation Church has been a beacon of faith, fellowship, and service. While the Matthew 25 Ministry has been part of that journey for the past 12 years, we are proud to continue the Church’s longstanding commitment to caring for our neighbors in need.

Though we are a small ministry, we are mighty in our mission. Guided by Christ’s call to serve others, we work throughout the year to support individuals and families facing food insecurity in our local communities. Through the generosity of our parishioners, we help stock pantry shelves and freezers with essential items including meats, dairy products, shelf-stable foods, paper products, feminine hygiene products, and much more.

Supporting Our Community

For approximately 11 years, Matthew 25 has supported Seeds of Hope Food Pantry, and for the past six years we have partnered with Somerton Interfaith Food Pantry. Over the years, we have built meaningful relationships with the directors and volunteers who serve these organizations. We chose these pantries because of the dignity, compassion, and respect they show every person who walks through their doors. Their commitment to serving God through service to others embodies the very spirit of Matthew 25.

Each year, we also provide turkeys and meat as part of our annual Turkey Drive and Lenten Meat Drive, helping local families enjoy nutritious meals during important seasons.

The Angel Tree: Bringing Hope During the Holidays

Our largest community outreach project is the Matthew 25 Angel Tree. Through this initiative, parishioners donate gifts, gift cards, toys, clothing, and other necessities to individuals, families, schools, and community organizations in need.

The Angel Tree brings our parish community together in a beautiful display of generosity and compassion. One of our largest and most meaningful partnerships has been with John B. Stetson Middle School in Philadelphia, thanks to parishioner Gina Giannoumis for helping establish that connection.

In honor of Annunciation’s 125th Anniversary, our Angel Tree will feature 125 angel tags, providing an opportunity for our parish family to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others during the holiday season.

Serving Through Hands-On Outreach

Every February, Matthew 25 sponsors a hands-on community service project. Whether partnering with organizations such as Lasagna Love, volunteering at Manna on Main, or preparing meals for those in need, we seek opportunities to serve directly and make a tangible impact. This year, in recognition of the church’s 125th Anniversary, we hope to provide 125 meals or portions through our community service efforts.

Honoring 125 Years Through Giving

As we celebrate Annunciation’s 125th Anniversary, Matthew 25 wanted to honor this milestone in a way that reflects our ministry’s mission. Rather than hosting a gala or special event, we have chosen to focus our efforts on giving back to the community.

Throughout the year, our goal is to donate items and provide services in quantities of 125 or more, ensuring that our anniversary celebration directly benefits those who need it most.

Our 125th Anniversary Giving Goals

• 125 rain ponchos for Focus Philly
• 125 bottles of Gatorade for Focus Philly
• 125 sandwiches for Focus Philly
• 125 dozen eggs for Seeds of Hope and Somerton Interfaith Food Pantries
• 125 turkeys or poultry items for our Thanksgiving Turkey Drive
• 125 gifts through our Angel Tree program
• 125 meals prepared through our February Community Service Project
• 125 meat donations for the Lenten Meat Drive
• 125 snack items for Mattie Dixon Community Cupboard
• 125 boxes of pasta, sauce, soup, or other requested items for Seeds of Hope
• 125 pounds of onions, potatoes, and carrots for Somerton Interfaith Food Pantry

A History of Service

Over the years, Matthew 25 has been blessed to participate in a variety of outreach efforts, including:

• Assisting the Young at Heart ministry by volunteering and preparing Christmas meals during its early years.
• Preparing meals in support of the local charitable organization Aid for Friends.
• Partnering with our GOYA and Catechism School students, who have collected gift cards, food items, and other necessities for those in need. We extend special thanks to Sofia Bougioukas and Jacinda Ojeda for their leadership and support.
• Teaching our youngest parishioners about generosity through our “Basket Fillers” program, where children collected shelf-stable food items for local pantries.
• Collaborating with the Homeless Ministry to prepare Thanksgiving turkey baskets for Logan Hope School.
• Partnering with the Homeless Ministry to donate toys to Whosoever Gospel Mission and turkeys to a women’s correctional facility.
• Raising $12,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic through a partnership with State Farm. Local State Farm agents generously contributed both donations and volunteer support.
• Working with Giant Food Stores in Maple Glen, Feasterville, and Chalfont, whose generosity helped provide hundreds of pounds of chicken, ground beef, salmon, eggs, cereal, pasta, sauce, soup, paper products, and other critical supplies.
• Donating to the Saint George Senior Center.
• Providing healthy snacks and school supplies to the Wissahickon Rising Star Homework Club.
• Delivering a truckload of frozen pasta and other food items from Talluto’s Authentic Italian Food to Manna on Main.
• Supporting IOCC Ukrainian Refugee Relief and St. Anne’s Ukrainian Church in supplying humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Looking Forward

Matthew 25 remains committed to answering Christ’s call to serve “the least of these” through acts of compassion, generosity, and love. As we celebrate Annunciation’s 125th Anniversary, we are grateful for the dedication of our volunteers, the generosity of our parish family, and the many community partners who make this ministry possible.

Together, we continue to make a difference—one meal, one gift, and one act of kindness at a time.