Our Priory Charities

The Priory of St. Matthew contributes to several domestic charities with both financial support and sweat equity, in addition to the dedicated support in the Holy Land.  Following is a list of those organizations which we support:

Jerusalem Santa/Issanis Kassissieh: Issa Kassissieh, a towering former basketball player, brought the American concept of Santa Claus to his ancient city to unite people and spread a universal message of love, peace, and goodwill. He trained at the official Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in the United States and was named “Santa’s Global Ambassador for the Holy Land”. During the Christmas season, Kassissieh transforms the bottom floor of his family’s historic home into a festive workshop.

Visitors can tour his toy workshop, kitchen, and mailroom where children drop off letters.Take photos, enjoy local sweets, and meet Santa himself. A Local Twist: Because of the historic location, the Jerusalem Santa trades reindeer for a camel. Every December, Kassissieh rides a camel through the Jaffa Gate and around the Old City streets—a nod to the Magi who traveled to the region centuries ago.

The Wounded Warrior Project:  A military and veterans charity service organization empowering injured veterans and their families, the Priory is proud to be a part of helping this project achieve their financial goals with bi-annual collections made during our Spring and Fall Convent and Investitures.

The Semper Fi Fund:  The Semper Fi Fund provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to post 9/11 wounded, critically ill and injured members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and their families, ensuring that they have the resources they need during their recovery and transition back to their communities. St. Matthew provides financial support for this fund during our Convent and Investiture ceremonies twice a year.

Dallas and Houston area Veterans Administration Hospitals: The Priory of St. Matthew is proud to offer recycled magazines for both patients and providers.

The Fisher House Foundation:  Fisher Houses provide military families housing close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury.  We provide donated paper towels, bathroom tissues, soaps, disposable dinnerware and recycled magazines.

Tunnels to Towers Fund: Since 9/11, T2T has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. They are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001.

Priory Scholarship Fund:  St. Matthew is proud to provide full scholarships for two Christian students in the Middle East toward their pursuits in hotel management education.  In addition, two of our members have taken upon themselves the sponsorship of other students.

The Jerusalem Mite is a fund whereby Knights and Dames of the Order in our Priory donate money to support the maintenance of sacred sites in the Holy Land so that all pilgrims and residents can worship.  This fund assists Christians in the Holy Land with affordable housing, health care, refugee relief, orphanages and school development. Recipients include:

† Chaldean Hope for Iraqi Christian Refugee Program
† Anglican Church of Jerusalem and Middle East
† Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
† Holy Family Children’s home in the Creche
† Colleges Des Freres Bethlehem
† Iraqi Christian Relief Council
† Orthodox School of Bethany
† Franciscan Foundation
† Christian Aid Mission