We were lucky to catch up with Diane Reynolds recently and have shared our conversation below.

Diane, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

My husband and I began volunteering to help people living in extreme poverty with our church in upstate NY in 2013. We were moved by the families and their stories. We soon became the outreach leaders and expanded to work with the homeless population too.

In 2020 we felt called to move to Texas and shortly after relocating we met a couple who feed the homeless every weekend and they invited us to join them. When we saw the tent encampments we knew why God called us here. In 2021 we created Matthew’s Light.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Matthew’s Light is based off Matthew 25:35-40 which says “‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Though we feel called to help “the least of us” because of our faith, we serve those in need regardless of faith, orientation, affiliation or other man conceived descriptor that tries to separate and divide us.

We collect new and gently used clothes, shoes, coats, blankets; purchase hygiene products, prepare a big meal and once a month we host a large outreach with 50 volunteers to distribute these items. People need to understand that 40% of our homeless brothers and sisters have a job and every time they leave their belongings unattended, they risk them being stolen. We go once a month to replenish these supplies.

Some other statistics to help people reevaluate their misconceptions of the homeless are the vast majority of homeless are in their situation because they just can’t afford the exploding cost of rent, 36% are veterans, only 10% of the homeless in Houston are homeless due to drug abuse, 50% of children aging out of foster care will become homeless, we are at a record high for homelessness in America, the homeless community are far more often the victims of crime rather than the perpetrators.

But we have a plan to completely change homelessness in the greater Houston are and potentially around the world. Cana Village. A tiny home village with onsite counseling, job training and placement, community gardens and so much more.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

My answer deviates from the question as funding hasn’t been secured yet. To build our phase one tiny home community we need 50 acres of raw land and a collaborative team of donors, builders, government officials, trade services, other nonprofits and corporations who believe in our vision and want to make truly transformative change.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When we started our work we thought so small. All we wanted to do was ease people’s burdens a little bit and show some love and compassion. Our journey has led us to learn so much about the root causes of homelessness and poverty and how we need to make systemic changes to how we do community. Unless the richest nation in the world starts caring for the least of us, we will be a morally bankrupt society.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.matthewslight.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/7gmBahMQ9t8a8Dqq/?mibextid=eQY6cl
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/share/KiVnEu4jfFNjNjfu/?mibextid=K35XfP