Hidden just behind the town’s Main Street, Matthews Help Center’s thrift shop, Back Porch Treasures, is true to its name. Though the building may not exactly be in plain sight, the center is bustling with dedication and commitment. Serving an area of six zip codes, Matthews Help Center (MHC) provides members of the Matthew Community with essential resources and short-term crisis assistance. From keeping the shelves stocked with name-brand clothing to providing community members with rent assistance, MHC is kept running by its devoted team of employees and volunteers.
One outstanding employee is Melinda Wilshire, the center’s Director of Community and Volunteer Engagement. A life-long devotee to volunteer work, Wilshire had long searched for an outlet to merge her passion of helping other with her career. her search came to a close just under a year ago, when she discovered Matthews Help Center’s unique mission.
“Our mission is to help individuals in our community facing financial difficulty… to help people in their moment of crisis,” said Wilshire. Wilshire’s jump from the uniform corporate world to the nonprofit community allowed her to feel fulfilled while giving back to those around her.
“I really am passionate about helping people,” said Wilshire. “That’s something to think about; how helping others allow you to help yourself.”
Passionate individuals like Wilshire can be found in every department of the Help Center. With only eight full time employees, the center depends on dedicated volunteers to help keep the program running. From high school students to senior citizens, MHC volunteers make up a diverse demographic. All items in the thrift shop are received through donations from the community. Behind the scenes, volunteers must collect, sort and price these items. Clothing department volunteer Kim Denny is one of many volunteers who helps prepare clothing to be sold.
“Don’t ever think you’re just pricing clothes,” said Denny. “Everybody is contributing to helping these people… and making an impact.” Though these tasks can be both time-consuming and strenuous, they are treasured learning experiences. “That’s what I’ve learned from Matthews Help Center: that there’s good in everyone,” Denny said.
Not all volunteer activities are physically taxing like sorting through donations. Less demanding tasks are equally essential to MHC’s success. The center provides volunteer opportunities for those with a wide range of skills and abilities. Tasks that may often go unnoticed are especially important to keeping the Center’s shop stocked and organized. For example every Friday, East Meck’s Exceptional Children program collects puzzles from MHC and sorts and counts the pieces to be sold.
“Everyone has a different skill set,” said East Meck Exceptional Children teacher, David Cioch. “We go to different [volunteer] sites to make sure everyone is able to promote their unique skills.”
These skills are vital to MHC’s social work department, which provides members of the community with daycare, utility, rent and food assistance. Between its senior program, unhoused program and stepping stone program geared toward helping younger people, MHC’s social workers use their skills to interact with diverse groups of people.
“I’ve definitely grown to be more patient and understanding,” said Rachelle Bosse-Rosarion, a MHC social worker. “You have to put yourself in other people’s situations.”
This combination of empathy and patience allows Bosse-Rosarion and the Help Center to provide service to over 6,500 people in 2024 and generate over one million dollars in revenue.
After over 45 years of providing service in the Matthews area, MHC has become a staple in the community. With plans of building a 9,000-square-foot expansion and creating additional volunteer positions, the center continues to flourish. Beyond just selling household items, MHC finds special ways to benefit everyone in the community.
“Many times people are carrying something,” said Wilshire. “and they need this place to feed their soul.”
