Matthew 25: 12 Who Made a Difference in 2012

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

GoLocalWorcester Editors

Founded in 1988 by Rev. Fred M. Enman, S.J., Matthew 25 aims to provide food and housing relief to people in need. The private non-profit organization purchases and renovates houses in Worcester, as well as Boston. To date, Matthew 25 has renovated and rented nine houses in Worcester to go with one so far in Boston.

Community service is a huge part of life for many Assumption College students, and members of the school's Reach Out Center (ROC) partnered with Matthew 25 earlier this year to help the non-profit in its mission.

Started last academic year by junior William Rein, the ROC's partnership with Matthew 25 now has 15 volunteers that work tirelessly two Saturdays every month to turn abandoned houses into new neighborhood gems. Rein is proud that he has been able to successfully grow the program from just two students at its founding, but he takes more pride in the fact that these efforts are directly impacting Worcester families.

Students from Assumption assist Matthew 25 workers with interior demolition, painting, staining, and landscaping. When the houses are completed, Matthew 25 rents them to low-income working families at about 25 percent of the new residents' income.

The current house students are working on is located at 3 Benefit Terrace, and Rein believes this house is large enough for an entire family. The goal is to have the house completed by the end of 2013, to go with houses already completed on Birch and Chatam Streets in Worcester.

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