Conceived as a partnership between Episcopal Charities Foundation and Good Samaritan Health & Wellness Center in 2013-2015, The Matthew Project enabled the construction of a new building for the Center utilizing volunteer resources from across the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta.
ECF funded a Volunteer Coordinator who informed, engaged, and scheduled parishes and parishioners across the Diocese to go to Jasper, GA to help build the new Good Samaritan center. “Mission trips” began in 2014, and the next twelve months were filled with joyful successes and the construction of Building One in the Spring 2015. Over 500 construction hours were donated by eleven groups of volunteers, including 115 volunteers from seven parishes – St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church (Milton), St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (Marietta), Church of the Epiphany (Atlanta), St. Francis Episcopal Church (Macon), Church of the Holy Family (Jasper), Holy Trinity Parish (Decatur), and St. James’ Episcopal Church (Marietta).
Building One was dedicated and named in honor of Dr. Joseph A. Wilber who helped establish Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center and “dedicated his heart and mind and soul to the care of others.”
Videos of the three-year project were created by Ron Floethe; we are grateful for his storytelling!