Kansas City, MO, October 13, 2025
Photo: startlandnews.com
Fr. Justin Mathews, priest of the Orthodox Church in America, has been named recipient of the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship by the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Henry W. Bloch School of Management.
The award recognizes Fr. Justin’s work as CEO of Reconciliation Services, a nonprofit organization that has addressed economic and racial disparities in Kansas City for more than 30 years. The organization is headquartered along the Troost Avenue corridor, historically known as Kansas City’s racial dividing line.
“Acknowledging the importance of social entrepreneurship points us back to the heart of KC itself—neighbors turning struggle into strength and strength into opportunity,” Fr. Justin, who is attached to Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Overland Park, Kansas, told Startland News.
Fr. Justin was ordained to the priesthood in 2006 after earning his Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Belmont University.
Under his leadership, Reconciliation Services operates four main programs: Thelma’s Kitchen, a “donate-what-you-can” community café he launched in 2018; the REVEAL program, offering social and mental health services including ID assistance, housing and utilities support, and trauma therapy; the Foster Grandparent Program, connecting volunteers age 55 and older with at-risk youth; and The Social Leader program, providing leadership training on trauma, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The Reconciliation Services building on Troost Avenue also houses the St. Maria of Paris chapel.
In 2021, Fr. Justin co-founded the Social Venture Studio with LaunchKC, a four-month accelerator program for social entrepreneurs located in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.
The award will be presented at UMKC’s 39th Annual Entrepreneur of the Year ceremony on December 3 at H&R Block Headquarters.
“Overcoming poverty and division isn’t a task for charity, it is our common vocation as we are all called to love our neighbor,” Fr. Justin said. “Therefore, we must employ every creative means at our disposal to embed mercy and justice into our everyday life and work.”
Fr. Justin is married with three sons.
OrthoChristian previously reported on Reconciliation Services and Thelma’s Kitchen in August 2024.
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