MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN MINISTRIES HISTORY
1992
THE HOMELESS MINISTRY STARTED OUT AS A MISSION PROJECT FOR THE MOUNT
GILLION BAPTIST CHURCH YOUTH DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER OF 1992 WHERE DEACON
MELVIN HODGE AND BROTHER DAVID SIMS SERVED AS SUPERVISORS. WE WOULD PROVIDE
A HOLIDAY DINNER ALONG WITH GIFTS AND TOYS TO THE ZELMA GEORGE HOMELESS
SHELTER AND AS TIME PASSED WE EXPANDED OUR EFFORTS TO TWO MORE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN SHELTERS.
1996
IN JANUARY 1996 AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF SISTER SERIA (RE-RE) RASHEED,
OUR STREET MINISTRY STARTED. WE DID ALL THE COOKING AT MT. GILLION BAPT.
CHURCH WHERE WE ALSO FED THE HOMELESS AND HUNGRY. THE FIRST TIME WE WENT
OUT TO THE STREETS OF CLEVELAND TO FEED WAS ON JANUARY 13, 1996. IT WAS
OVERWHELMING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN
CLEVELAND. WE HAD PREPARED 100 DINNERS AND SOON RAN OUT. THEN WE DECIDED TO
DO MORE AND ADDED ANOTHER WEEKEND TO OUR FEEDING. AFTER THE FIRST MONTH WE
WERE TOLD ABOUT THE OTHER SHELTERS AT 18TH STREET, DAVENPORT AND SALVATION
ARMY P.A.S.S. (PICKUP ASSIST SHELTER SERVICES) ALL OF THEM FOR MEN. WE SOON
LEARNED OF THE WOMEN SHELTERS AT 30TH EUCLID AND 22ND PAYNE. THE SMELL AND
CONDITION OF ALL EXCEPT P.A.S.S. WAS BEYOND BELIEF THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAD TO
LIVE LIKE THIS. FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS WE COOKED AND DELIVERED DINNERS
FROM MT. GILLION BAPTIST CHURCH.
2000
JULY 8, 2000 WE PARTNERED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY P.A.S.S PROGRAM AND
THEY OPENED UP THEIR KITCHEN FOR US TO USE. DUE TO CONFLICTS WITH DATES AT
THE CHURCH AND THE GROWTH OF THE PROJECT THE MOVE BECAME PERMANENT.
2001
AFTER MORE PROBLEMS AND THE SITUATION GREW WORSE, ON MARCH 5, 2001
WHILE GETTING READY FOR CHURCH AND PRAYING ON HOW WE WOULD CONTINUE THE
HOMELESS MISSION, THE LORD SPOKE ”MANNA”. MANNA IS A HEBREW WORD THAT WAS
GIVEN BY THE ISRAELITES TO THE FOOD MIRACULOUSLY SUPPLIED TO THEM DURING
THEIR WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS. (EXODUS 16:15-35)
THUS MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN WAS BORN.
ON JUNE 6, 2001 MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN MINISTRIES BECAME AN INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATION. FROM MARCH UNTIL JULY MANNA SURVIVED OFF THE PRAYERS AND
GENEROSITY OF A FEW; SIS. RUBY HUGHLEY. BRO. DAVID SIMS, DEACON MELVIN
HODGE SIS. ELEANOR LETT, SIS. MATTIE CANIDATE, SIS. RUBY BRUMFIELD AND SIS
SHIRLEY SEALEY.
IN AUGUST OF 2001 PASTOR DEWITT CHAPPELL AND THE EVERLASTING BAPTIST CHURCH
PARTNERED WITH MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN MINISTRIES AND PLEDGED THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF THE MONTH BENEVOLENT OFFERING TO MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN
MINISTRIES.
MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN MINISTRIES IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CONSISTING
OF A GROUP OF CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN FROM THE FOLLOWING VARIOUS CHURCHES
AND PASTORS: AGAPE MINISTRIES (PASTORS GARY AND KAWANDA WILLIAMS)
EVERLASTING BAPTIST CHURCH (PASTOR DEWITT CHAPPELL), LOVE CENTER
INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH (PASTOR PAUL CARRINGTON), STRAIGHTWAY CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITY CHURCH (PASTORS WAYNE AND DEBRA FRANCE), GREATER KOINONIA
COVENANT CHURCH, FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH, GRACE FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST
CHURCH, MOUNT GILLION BAPTIST CHURCH, MOUNT ZION OF THE BRETHREN CHURCH,
NEW BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH AND”THE WORD “CHURCH. OUR MISSION IS TO
PROVIDE A HOT, HOME COOKED, WELL-BALANCE MEAL TWICE A MONTH.
THROUGH NOT JUST FEEDING THE BODY FOOD BUT ALSO FEEDING THE SPIRIT OF THESE
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SOULS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST AT THE MT.
GILLION BAPTIST CHURCH, EVERLASTING BAPTIST CHURCH AND STRAIGHTWAY
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH.
2002 - 2006
ON AUGUST 24, 2002 WE MOVED TO 2100 LAKESIDE PLACE (SALVATION ARMY) TO
PREPARE AND SERVE THE MEALS.
2003 - 2006
“THE WORD” CHURCH OUTREACH MINISTRY, MINISTER’S IN TRAINING AND DEACONS
PARTNERED WITH MANNA FOOD FROM HEAVEN BY SENDING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO
THE SHELTERS TO HELP PREPARE, SERVE AND MINISTER TO THE RESIDENTS. OVER 300
MEN HAVE BEEN LED TO CHRIST. FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS PASTOR PAUL CARRINGTON
AND PASTOR DEWITT CHAPPELL HAVE SUPPORTED MANNA WITH NO RESERVATION; DOING
AND GIVING WHERE EVER IT WAS NEEDED.
SOME ACCOMPLISHMENT DURING OUR FIRST SIX YEARS:
• JOINED WITH BRO. JOHN CANNAN AND THE POTTER HOUSE MINISTRIES TO PROVIDE A
HOT BREAKFAST FOR THE SENIORS AT FAMICO BIBI CENTER.
• PROVIDED GROCERIES FOR A FAMILY IN NEED FOR TWO WEEKS.
• HELPED A DISABLED FATHER WITH A FAMILY OF FOUR KEEP THEIR GAS FROM BEING
DISCONNECTED.
• HELD FIRST HOMELESS SEMINAR FOR "WOMEN REACHING WOMEN" MINISTRY.
• JOINED WITH ANOINTED GATES CHURCH TO FEED OVER 500 ON THEIR 3rd ANNUAL
COOKOUT FOR THE HOMELESS.
• WE ASSISTED IN FINDING HOUSING FOR THOSE IN NEED.
• JOINED THE MARY GRACE NETWORK IN 2002 AND 2003 WITH THE DIGNITY FAIR AT
CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND FED OVER 5000 PEOPLE.
• BECAME A MEMBER OF THE CLEVELAND FOODBANK 2003.
• THE DEACONS AND MEN OF “THE WORD” CHURCH HAVE BEEN AT 2100 LAKESIDE
SHELTER SHARING THE WORD OF GOD WITH THE MEN.
• THE WORD CHURCH OUTREACH MINISTRY HAS SENT OVER 200 MEMBERS TO THE
SHELTER TO HELP PREPARE, MINISTER AND SERVE AT BOTH THE MEN AND WOMEN
SHELTER.
• OVER 200,000 HOT MEALS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE HOMELESS AND HUNGRY.
• EVERY CHRISTMAS THE SHARE A CHRISTMAS DREAM HAS GIVEN AWAY OVER 2500 TOYS
AND GIFTS THAT BENEFITED FIVE HOMELESS SHELTERS.
• AS OF SEPTEMBER 2006; 309 MEN HAVE BEEN LED TO CHRIST
• BEING IN GOD’S FAVOR
return
to top
YOU CAN HELP
|
