Matthew 25: Ministries is sending disaster relief crews to the Florida Panhandle after Hurricane Isaias killed at least four people and knocked out power to roughly 700,000 customers across the Southeast.
The Blue Ash-based nonprofit pre-positioned its Code 3 Search and Rescue Team on the Gulf Coast before the storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 9, WLWT reported. The Category 2 hurricane brought winds exceeding 100 mph, dangerous storm surge and widespread flooding.
The search-and-rescue team has been working alongside local first responders since landfall, the organization said on X on Saturday, Oct. 10. As of Sunday, Oct. 11, the team had not been called for a missing person.
No one has been reported missing.
"When it comes to a hurricane, especially one of this size, that's pretty uncommon, so that's a good sign," Ben Williams of Matthew 25: Ministries told Fox 19 on Oct. 11.
With the storm now past, crews are shifting to supply distribution. Matthew 25: Ministries plans to begin handing out supplies in Pensacola, Florida, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, according to WLWT. The relief convoy includes personal care supplies, cleaning items, baby supplies and tools. Mobile laundry trailers provided through a partnership with Tide, along with shower and restroom trailers from Procter & Gamble and Walmart, are also part of the deployment.
How Blue Ash residents can help
Matthew 25: Ministries, headquartered at 11083 Kenwood Road, is collecting donated goods including bottled water, personal care products, cleaning supplies, paper products, baby and infant supplies, first-aid items, candles, flashlights and cleanup supplies. Donations can be dropped off at the Blue Ash headquarters or at partner locations: Asbury United Methodist Church, Community Christian Church, Anderson Hills Church and Wyoming Baptist Church. Residents should contact the organization for drop-off hours.
Monetary donations are accepted online at m25m.org or by check mailed to the Kenwood Road headquarters. The organization said all funds go directly toward hurricane relief.
Volunteers are also needed at the Blue Ash facility to sort incoming donated goods, Williams told Fox 19.







