Living In A Just World Takes Consistent Intention To Be The Change

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Living In A Just World Takes Consistent Intention To Be The Change

December 6, 2021

Image: Robert Lah Trio performing during a live stream concert on YouTube benefiting people experiencing homelessness seeking care at AHCH. Photo courtesy of St. John’s Music Ministry Facebook (November 2020).

Living In A Just World Takes Consistent Intention To Be The Change Matt Greer, a Steward of Talent, Compassion, and Faith. AHCH is thrilled to share with you “Music from St, Johns,” a weekly livestream concert series hosted by St. Johns United Methodist Church (SJUMC) Music Ministries on their YouTube channel. With past support from this extraordinary effort, AHCH was able to help people with the delivery of responsive and innovative care to people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Last season, the livestreamed concerts raised $6,200 from 113 gifts from listeners and followers. SJUMC Music Ministries, its listeners and followers, came together and created a virtuous community that made a difference.

We deeply appreciate that the AHCH mission will again receive support from online donations. Thanks to support from groups like St. John’s Music Ministries and people who believe in our mission.

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On April 27, 2020, Director of Music and Worship Arts Matt Greer, along with the St John’s United Methodist Church (SJUMC) Music Ministries team, announced on their Facebook page the live-stream concert series: “Music from St. John’s.” For over a decade, SJUMC has helped meet the mission of AHCH and recently, the Music Ministries live streamed concerts on SJUMC’s YouTube channel and the outpouring of support for people in need who are seeking care at AHCH has been amazing.

Thanks to support from groups like Matt’s and people who believe, AHCH has demonstrated new ways to deliver health care and social services to unhoused people during the pandemic, examples include developing better ways to link people with public benefits, more street medicine teams and consistent presence on the streets where people are experiencing homelessness. These innovations and strong history encourages champions like Matt to engage their communities in larger and impactful issues such as ending homelessness with AHCH. Also, the HCH model is shown to build partnerships, develop meaningful philanthropic values, and create solutions to community challenges.

In 2020, Matt featured local musicians, composer and oud virtuoso Rahim Alhajand, and expressive vocalists on a YouTube live stream platform to not only fill our Wednesday afternoons with music, but to connect his listeners and followers to the urgency unsheltered people were facing during the early onset of the pandemic. The live streamed concerts raised $6,200 from 113 gifts from listeners and followers. It takes a village to end homelessness. SJUMC Music Ministries, its listeners and followers, came together created a virtuous community that made a world of difference for people in need during this ongoing pandemic.

In order to deepen our mutual partnership, AHCH happily reached out to chat with Matt about his career, his passions in life, and why he continues to help people affected by the ongoing pandemic.

Image: Matt Greer, Director of Music and Worship Arts

AHCH: What did the idea of wanting to do something great have to do with your career? Matt: “Always viewed professional work as building collaboration, inspire, energize, other people to do great stuff all at the same time. Being in front of St. John’s Congregation creates a community, so people feel part of a community to effect change.”

AHCH: What are your passions? Matt: “Reading and making music with people. Living in Albuquerque with my lovely and talented wife and our cat who runs the show in our little home.”

AHCH: What are you grateful for?

Matt: “Being in a congregation, willing to work through this (pandemic) and continue to build community, especially in these times.”

AHCH: Why Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless? Matt: “A choir member knew Jenny (Chief Executive Officer of AHCH). I put out feelers and I had an immediate connection with Jenny and have since been so impressed with everyone I came into contact with (AHCH staff, board members, and volunteers). Very impressive! Also, I wanted to work with an organization that works toward social justice versus an organization that relies on a charity model.”

AHCH: Thank you, Matt for sharing a bit of yourself and your passion with us. Thank you SJUMC Music Ministries for your continued partnership and we are so grateful for the music ministry and its positive effects on those in need during this time.

Matt believes giving is a way to effect change that fulfills AHCH’s mission to provide caring and comprehensive health and integrated supportive services, linking people experiencing homelessness to individual and collective solutions, and to be a leader in implementing innovative service models and be a catalyst for solutions to homelessness and uphold a commitment to diversity and equity. Matt’s work with organizing the livestream concerts and inspiring friends. to give to AHCH exemplifies the true meaning of grassroots fundraising, which is defined as "using a wide variety of strategies to invite as many people as possible to give donations of widely varying amounts.”

We would like to share with you a story about Karen R’s giving. Karen's brother-in-law Jim Ahrend, classical pianist, who performed during the inaugural live stream to raise funds for AHCH, became aware of AHCH and its mission overtime. Karen became a monthly donor. This is her story:

Thank you, Matt for sharing a bit of yourself and your passion with us. We are so grateful for the music ministry and its positive effects on those in need during this time. Thank you SJUMC Music Ministry for your continued partnership.

Want To Be Like Matt and St. John’s?

Get your circle of friends and colleagues involved in a wide variety of strategies. Host an event and donate the proceeds to people in need or donate at abqhch.org.

Grassroots fundraising that is aligned with your values can make a difference in the lives of those affected.