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’s and children’s shelters.

1996

In January 1996 at the recommendation of Sister Seria (RE-RE) Rasheed, our street ministry started. We did all the cooking at Mount Gillion Baptist 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’s 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 Israelite’s 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
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. During this year we launched our website that was donated and maintained by Minister Ray A. Harris from RaHa1 Web Designs.

The Word Church Outreach ministry, Ministers 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.

2007 – 2012

Partnered with the following Companies and their employees:

Mrs. Nina Lewis & Family

Kerri Jefferson

Progressive Insurance & Employees

AT&T employees

Booz Allen Hamilton & Employees

Farmer Insurance & Employees

PP&G & Employees

Some accomplishment over the years:

• May 2002, Manna applied for our Federal EIN. It was awarded on September 12, 2005.
• March 2003, Manna applied and became a member of the Cleveland Foodbank.
• Joined with Bro. John Cannon and The Potter’s House Ministries to provide a hot breakfast for the seniors at Famico Bible Center on the 1^st Saturday of the month, 2003-2004.
• Provided assistance with gas bills for a disabled father of four to keep their gas on. We also provided groceries.
• October 2003, held our first Homeless Seminar for Women Reaching Women Ministries at the Murtis H. Taylor Center.
• Joined The Mary Grace Network in 2003 and 2004 at the Dignity Fair at Cuyahoga Community College and fed over 5000 people.
• THE WORD Church Outreach ministry joined with Manna to help serve at 2100 Lakeside. Over 200 members have been and still come to prepare, minister and serve at both the men’s and women’s shelters.
• The Deacons and Men of THE WORD Church have been at 2100 Lakeside Ave sharing the WORD OF GOD with the men.
• Every 4^th Saturday of the month we treated the women at the Norma Herr Women’s Shelter to a free manicure (Polish with a Purpose).
• Joined Maria Bonner and Full of Grace Ministries to supply Back 2 School items. With JESUS, we provided over 400 book bags and food for over 500 families.
• On December 27, 2009, we purchased our first van.
• January 2010, started serving lunch once a week at both Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) and Norma Herr.
• Every Christmas since 2002, the Share A Christmas Dream has given away over 10,000 toys and gifts.
• Provided groceries to families in need.
• As of 2011, 309 men and women have been led to CHRIST.
• April 9, 2012, purchased a Chevy box truck and converted it into a Manna Mobile Kitchen.
• April 14, 2012, grilled over 500 steaks for our Resurrection Dinner.
• Over 500,000 meals have been distributed to the homeless and hungry in Cuyahoga County.
• BEING IN GOD’S FAVOR.
• July 12, 2019, presented with the SPECTRUM EMPLOYEE COMMUNITY GRANT, THANKS TO KIM TOLLIVER.
• July 13, 2019, Elder Mike Harris came down and GRILLED STEAK AND PORK CHOPS.

COVID 19 – March 2020

In March 2020, the world was turned upside down as COVID19 started to spread everywhere. Manna was trying to figure out a way to keep everyone safe as we continued to serve. On March 14, 2020 we provided our last meal until Manna joined forces with First Love Ministry under the Pastorage of Pastor Robert Scott, where from April to August we provided over 25,000 meals.

After months of trying to find a kitchen to serve out of, Manna was approached by The Word Church and Pastor R.A. Vernon to partner with and provide hot meals to those in need. So, from September 2020 until November 2021, we provided meals 4 times a month to 6 shelters and people on the street. On October 23, 2021 alone, we provided over 5000 meals to 8 shelters and hundreds of people from East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, South Euclid, Cleveland area, downtown and the west side.

During that time, we still provided our Share a Christmas Dream to more than 50 families. They received gifts of clothes, coats, boots, shoes, gloves, toys, televisions and groceries.

After our partnership with The Word Church, we took a sabbatical until March 2022. Soonafter, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) opened back up so we could resume preparing meals. This allowed us to continue serving LLM; Norma Herr; North Point; Moriah House; Joseph Home; Safe Haven 3; and the men, women and children on the streets.