When Pastor Zach Prosser moved to the Akron area with his wife two years ago, Celebration Church on Dan Street near the low-income Elizabeth Park Valley neighborhood was on its last limb.
“The church was on the verge of closing its doors when we got here,” Prosser said. “We knew in order for the church to change, the DNA of the church had to change.”
Just two years later, hundreds of people lined up outside the church’s doors Wednesday as volunteers scrambled inside to transform the building into a one-stop-shop. A barbecue sizzled outside while rooms across the church turned into a spa, hair salon, pantry, clothing store and medical service area.
The church celebrated the one-year mark for its Night of Hope, an event held the fourth Wednesday of every month to provide free meals, haircuts, medical services and more to anyone living in Summit County.
Community in need
Prosser, coming from New Orleans, was used to ministering underserved communities. When he became the pastor at Celebration Church, he quickly established a food bank.
The community’s need for food, however, was even larger than the church anticipated.
“We were overwhelmed with the food pantry,” said Mandi Eder, the director of the event. “We knew something needed to change.”
Eder said she and Prosser prayed together and reached the same conclusion: turn the food pantry into an event that would bring community organizations together while helping people in need.
“God pretty much told us this is the direction we’re gonna go, and the pieces just started falling into place,” Eder said.
Starting with five service areas, the night quickly grew to offer more than 20. The church began offering transportation when it realized many people couldn’t afford to get there.
“We’re always adding things wherever we can put them, but we’re running out of space,” Prosser said, noting the spaces on the two buses they have are completely filled.
Serving hope
When the church doors opened at 7 p.m., almost 100 people gathered around its stage for a quick orientation. When asked how many there were new, nearly a third of the room’s hands shot up.
They were then dismissed to go to any area they needed. Most of the areas were run by local community organizations that donated their services.
As the night continued, nearly 300 people filed into the church.
“Uh-oh! I look human,” joked Richard Williams of Akron as he admired his newly trimmed beard. When he was finished, he gave his stylist an appreciative embrace.
“I just wanted to come to see what it was like,” Williams said. “I think it’s a good cause. I might have to go over and get a massage now.”
Prosser said the food pantry is still the most popular area by far. Using food donated from the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and individual donors, the volunteers in the area work diligently to assure the shelves are always stocked for the heavy influx of people.
The amount of food people can take depends on the size of their family. For some, it’s just the boost they need.
“I recently became a single parent, so I’m just trying to find ways to adjust and survive,” said Erica Taylor of Cuyahoga Falls after picking out food with her two kids, Aelyse, 9, and Leith, 11. “I’m just really grateful services like this are here for people who really need it.”
And for the more than 100 volunteers who work the event every month, the night is just as gratifying.
“Sometimes, I don’t know who’s more blessed: us, or the ones who come here,” said Cathy Millward, the retail area leader who has volunteered since the event began. “It’s just so rewarding. We’ve had people whose lives have literally changed from coming here.”
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom.