Terry Herrman, board president of Matthew 25 House in Ames, Iowa, joins The Catholic Morning Show to explain how the ministry helps formerly incarcerated men rebuild their lives through Christ-centered relationships and church community. Herman shares what pulled him into the mission, walks through a typical week of volunteering, and reflects on the graduation moments that keep him coming back. This conversation highlights practical, faith-filled ways Central Iowa Catholics can respond to Christ's call in Matthew 25 through mentorship, volunteering, and prayer.
The Mission Matthew 25 House is a Christian outreach ministry in Ames that helps men transitioning out of the Story County Jail, halfway houses, or Iowa prisons. Its goal: to help formerly incarcerated men imagine and embrace a new way of living through Christ-centered relationships that build belonging and self-worth, breaking the cycle of recidivism that pulls nearly 70% of released men back to jail.
Terry's Story Terry Herman didn't set out to join the board — a deacon at his church asked him to fill in at a single board meeting, "and from that moment on, I was hooked." Unlike other board members, Terry had no personal connection to incarceration; it was the mission itself, and the other board members' devotion to it, that pulled him in.
A Week in the Life of a Volunteer Residents gather for devotion time every morning at 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, plus a Saturday Bible study, and are encouraged to join a local church community. Volunteers help in all kinds of ways — mentorship, employment coaching, budgeting help, or simply spending time with the men, teaching by example what it looks like to give of yourself to others.
The Moment That Matters Most For Terry, nothing beats watching a resident complete the year-long program and graduate — and then stay connected to the community long after, continuing in church, Bible study, and fellowship even after moving into a place of their own.
Four Key Focuses
How to Help Learn more, volunteer, or donate at Matthew 25 House. Mail donations to Matthew 25 House, PO Box 1906, Ames, IA 50010.
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