Eastern Nazarene College Continues Successful Matthew 25 Initiative

QUINCY – In response to a pressing humanitarian need, Eastern Nazarene College began partnering with two organizations to offer shelter, food, and other basic needs to those seeking asylum from a humanitarian crisis. This launched the Matthew 25 initiative.

In July 2023, the College partnered with Bay State Community Services and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare to provide care and support to families in need. Those receiving services at the College are primarily displaced due to severe violence in their home country. These individuals are pregnant women, mothers with young children, and small family units. Everyone has willingly entered a highly structured program with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and undergoes a thorough background check including criminal history and health screening.

Cove Fine Arts Center is home to the Family Welcome Center, where Bay State Community Services assists families with meeting their basic needs and support services. The Family Welcome Center is where incoming guests receive basic intake services, complete their background checks, apply for work permits, are connected with care services, and receive necessities like food, diapers, baby formula, and clothing. AMI runs the on-campus shelter where families who qualify are provided temporary housing, laundry facilities, and food.  “The families who are coming to ENC are taking this legal path toward asylum and refugee status,” said L. Michaels, associate director of missional engagement. “So, the two organizations – Bay State and AMI – are helping to make sure everything is in order, and they don’t run into any roadblocks.”

The close partnership and comprehensive care model have generated significant praise and recognition for their effectiveness and impact. Among those who have toured the operation are ENC student leaders, Trustees, and Eastern Field Pastors. In addition to Nazarene officials, representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, other emergency shelter leaders, and officials from Massachusetts Governor Healey’s office have visited the Center and offered positive feedback, indicating that the Family Welcome Center will be used as a model for other centers during the migrant crisis.

Eastern Nazarene College is in a unique position to aid the state of emergency declared by Governor Maura Healey on Aug. 8, 2023. Following the key values of the College and the Church of the Nazarene, the Matthew 25 initiative models the servant leadership to students and the surrounding community that lies at the core of ENC. College President Colleen Derr shares that “ENC’s mission is to lead and serve the world as agents of Christ’s love and truth. The Mathew 25 Initiative has given us the opportunity to live into that mission in our own backyard.”

The initiative has created new learning experiences and ministry opportunities for students. Michaels has hosted several educational lectures to engage the student body and deepen understanding of Haitian culture and immigration policies. The College is home to a diverse student population as well, with a robust international undergraduate community, and these lectures allow students to better understand and facilitate relationships with their peers. In addition, ENC now hosts worship services in Cove on Sundays and Saturdays in Haitian Creole and Spanish for our family guests and the greater ENC community.

Internship opportunities have also been created in light of the initiative for students interested in community services, especially those in the Religion and Culture, Psychology, and Business/Marketing programs. Outside of professional development, students have welcomed our new community members with open arms through a variety of service projects, including collecting school supplies for displaced children and their families, organizing a holiday toy drive, and building a sandbox, swings, and a slide for the families to use.

“Our family guests are all so happy to be here,” Michaels said. “It’s been wonderful to see little ones playing out on the lawn and families doing life together in a safe space.” The student body has also expressed that the increase in security has been beneficial for the campus, including the installation of extra cameras and the hiring of additional guards.

Students, staff, faculty, and our Quincy neighbors have welcomed our new community members with open arms. In the face of opposition, our community reinforced that Eastern Nazarene College is built on Christ’s love and truth, and we will continue to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, and treat our neighbors with love.