A vacant lot on Sackett Avenue in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood will soon be a haven for fresh produce for local residents. The new distribution center is a program of Baba Neem Karoli Satsang (BNKS), a non-profit church corporation doing business as Baba’s Yard, that brings awareness to the issue of hunger in America and manages free food distribution programs for the economically disadvantaged. BNKS recently purchased the land from the Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Working with community partners, BNKS plans to develop the land this spring and begin monthly food distribution in early summer.  Produce will be supplied by the Cleveland Food Bank. Efforts to raise funds are underway to add fencing and a needed driveway, as well as for installation of an irrigation system. The remaining property will be used as a community green space.

John Visnauskas, BNKS’s Executive Director, is spearheading the effort. Visnauskas has served as the Executive Director of All Faiths Pantry serving seniors and home-bound individuals in Parma and adjoining neighborhoods for more than 12 years. He has helped start 13 self-sustaining produce programs in the area, that distribute nearly two million pounds of fruits and vegetables annually to clients in Greater Cleveland.

Eligibility for the program will be self-certifying, meaning clients need only declare with their signature that their income is beneath the poverty line.  Visnauskas will work with local healthcare providers and physicians’ groups to do outreach for the program. “Clark-Fulton is the ideal location for this endeavor,” says Visnauskas.  “There is a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables for the residents of this neighborhood.  The purpose of this program is to improve the nutritional intake of those in need.”

BNKS is seeking community partners in this venture.  If you are interested in collaborating, donating or volunteering for the program, contact Visnauskas at [email protected].

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Paul Huneycutt and his wife, Lorie, came to Cleveland in 2014 as Site Coordinators for Envision Cleveland, a ministry of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, to establish and strengthen communities of faith. Through its work, Envision Cleveland actively collaborates with individuals, communities, ministries and local government to reach marginalized populations in Cleveland and those struggling with poverty. And they are making a real impact in the community.

The mission focus of Envision Cleveland is restoration, reconciliation and resourcing in the hopes of transforming neighborhoods. Their work centers around restoring hope and opportunities, not only to area residents but properties as well. “A lot of people have lost hope,” says Huneycutt. “They are struggling to find out who they are and determine what the future looks like for them. We work to reconcile people to God and each other so that all people – no matter the color of skin, background, or cultural beliefs – can live together in peace.”

Just some of the work Envision Cleveland performs in the community involves renovating properties for low-income housing, providing healthy food options for the homeless population, establishing sports and after-school programs for neighborhood children, and assimilation and job training for refugees.

According to Paul, there is no shortage of organizations and ministries doing great things in the community, but they often lack the people, finances and resources needed to make a larger scale difference. “There are resources available, and we want to find ways to distribute those resources where they are needed most and can have the greatest impact.”

One such place of impact is the growing refugee population of Cleveland. The ministry largely serves the West African refugee population but also assists those displaced from areas such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 2017, the Cuyahoga Land Bank facilitated the donation of the Oehlhoff United Methodist Church on Clark Avenue from the North Coast District of The United Methodist Church to Envision Cleveland. Envision Cleveland transformed the church into its Bridge International Community Center, a community education and gathering space, and ministry for many persecuted refugees from The Congo.

In partnership with the local arm of the non-profit Us Together, the Community Center offers education and support services for refugees, including English as a Second Language (ESL) and entrepreneurial classes for women. “Most of the resettle women, for example, don’t have the opportunity for education in their home countries. This is the first educational opportunity for many of these women, and it is wonderful to see,” Huneycutt says.

“There are a lot of needs for these refugees,” he continues. “Things are very different here than from where they came, including the way in which they communicate with each other and others. We give them the tools to assimilate and participate and thrive in the community.” Huneycutt recounts a recent conversation he had with a Congolese community leader. “He said, ‘We have been refugees for so long, but now we are Americans. We need to learn how to be Americans and be part of the community, not outsiders.’”

Envision Cleveland continues to expand its reach into other inner-city Cleveland neighborhoods, including Detroit-Shoreway, Fairfax and Mount Pleasant. “There is a strong burden on the east side of Cleveland, and we would love to collaborate to open another community center and find leaders to help neighborhoods rise up.”

Envision Cleveland’s ongoing relationship with the Cuyahoga Land Bank will be a valuable tool as the group expands its ministry. “The Cuyahoga Land Bank has become a key partner in what we do. The staff has not only been supportive in helping us find homes and properties to better these neighborhoods but is also a big cheerleader for us. It seems like we’re part of a family.”

For more information about Envision Cleveland, visit their website HERE.

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Volunteers from the Nehemiah Collaborative clean out a home in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood to begin renovations.

A blighted and abandoned house on Trowbridge Avenue in Cleveland will soon be home to America’s finest.  Eight veterans will have a new home address as a result of the Nehemiah Collaborative, a nonprofit organization focused on providing affordable, stable housing and a network of spiritual and vocational support.

The Nehemiah Collaborative, an alliance of four organizations – Building Hope in The City, Community Service Alliance, Scranton Road Ministries and The Family Ministry Center, a ministry of Bay Presbyterian Church – was founded in 2016 to bring positive transformation to Cleveland’s Near West Side, specifically the Clark-Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods.

Combining forces, the group acquires, rehabilitates and maintains neighborhood properties while providing employment support services and devotional guidance. “The Nehemiah Collaborative focuses not only on housing solutions and rebuilding the area’s housing stock but also on creating a strong support network for the residents to improve their living, working and spiritual well-being,” says Bill Dillingham, the Board President of both Community Service Alliance and the Nehemiah Collaborative. “The Collaborative intends to stabilize these neighborhoods through safe and affordable housing and partner support.”

The Collaborative has acquired three houses from the Cuyahoga Land Bank. Much of the labor and materials are provided through in-kind donations, and renovations are completed by volunteers from all partnering organizations as well as other faith-based groups. “It is encouraging to see so many people give of their time and talent to help renovate these homes and make a difference for those in need,” says Dillingham.

Once renovations are completed, the collaborative maintains ownership of the properties and rents them to qualifying individuals and families for a modest rent. The Nehemiah Collaborative is a responsible and caring landlord that understands the need for affordable housing for families and the nation’s veterans.

The Nehemiah Collaborative plans to complete four to five additional homes in 2018 and is counting on the Cuyahoga Land Bank to help them identify and acquire homes for the program. “The Cuyahoga Land Bank, led by Gus Frangos, is absolutely one of the greatest organizations that I’ve worked with,” says Dillingham. “It sees the value in our work and appreciates the Collaborative as a model of what can be done to create housing solutions for low-moderate income people.”

For more information about the Nehemiah Collaborative, or to volunteer or donate, click HERE.

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