About Hope Outreach Minisitry
Hope Outreach Ministry opened in December 2011 and is located at 1530 Superior Ave N.E., Canton, Ohio and serve all those in need in our community. We are a ministry where no one is turned away, and we include even the most unlovely as the Lord has asked us to do. I was called to leave another wonderful ministry in Canton and to open this ministry in one of the most under-served neighborhoods on the northeast side. We originally started with 12 people and started serving about 20 people in two rooms the first month. All food was cooked and served along with storing clothing in one small room. Prior to that, we had been setting our tables up on corners throughout Canton and serving the people in need as they stopped or walked up for help. We were serving a large homeless population. As winter approached, we had to find our current building to keep serving.
Over the next year, our ministry grew in leaps and bounds, each month increasing in numbers as the word spread about our ministry. Growth is attributed to the fact that we feed and clothe all day as people just walk in, no questions asked and no identification required. We also started
Sunday morning services with a small amount of people which grew fast due to the spiritual needs of so many broken people. We welcomed all, no matter their records or addictions and our policy of “come as you are.” What a blessing for even an unkempt person off the streets to feel
welcome!
As you see, I could share a thousand words about our humble beginnings but now let me share the facts:
- We are now serving approximately 1,200 people every week during the four days we are open.
- Each day, we allow each person to select a food item from our small pantry, including all the bread they need.
- All prepared food at the end of the day is boxed up and sent home to provide for later in the day.
- Everyone is allowed to select what they need from the clothing room, including shoes and household items.
- We provide blankets, gloves, hats, scarves and boots to all and pass out to all the homeless daily.
I also would like to share with you in the beginning, we set in motion our “5-year strategic plan” to also teach people how to raise themselves up out of their poverty and brokenness, not only through faith but learning. We have a sewing ministry, crafts, and we teach our children skills on Saturdays. We have men’s fellowship and addiction meetings to encourage their seeking employment. We partner with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services and currently have many individuals doing hours here to earn their food stamps. We are connected to the Stark Courts System, allowing people to do their community service here and helping them to make better choices in the future. At this time, we have many people doing their hours. We have also have created a library for our children and adults. We have many plans in 2022 to expand all of our programs.
We also are improving our meals with better nutrition and have been blessed with the Aultman “WOW Wagon” for the last two years, and the nurses have provided people with information and guidance to improve their health.
In conclusion, you can see that we never would have accomplished this without the help of the many people and organizations that have provided all our needs and of course, God. In order to continue, we are in desperate need of so much more, food, clothing, money to pay our rent, utilities and so many more everyday expenses. We are in desperate need of financial support and transportation for our people as thirty percent are homeless.