Operation Brown Bag

By Steve Spalek

They have been doing it for seven long years on Public square in front of Stouffers Hotel, every Sunday morning and evening. I’m talking about the Brown Bag Ministry sponsored by Bethel Temple Church located in Parma, Ohio.

Operation Brown Bag was created about seven years ago, by the parishioners of Bethel Temple. The purpose was to feed the less fortunate and the Homeless of Cleveland. So, after long hard thought and lot of prayer they came up with the Brown Bag Ministry.

Brown Bag Ministry? YES! Brown Bag Ministry starts off its day every Sunday morning about 9:00am by coming down to Public Square and distributing hot coffee and donuts to the city’s needy. Next, the Bethel Temple church bus pulls up and takes about 30 or so people to church in Parma. Finally they come back from services about 12:30 PM and that’s when Operation Brown Bag starts back up.

O.B.B. runs like this; Each family who attends the church is asked to bring to church a sack lunch which can be given out on the truck that afternoon. About 150-200 Bags are collected each week and are given out. 

The lunch usually consists of a sandwich, (sometimes meat) fruit, cookies or chips and always a cup of homemade soup. In fact, when they started out seven years ago, they were making 10 gallons and were still running out!  Occassionally, someone does donate a large amount of something to the ministry, so they cook it up and give it to the needy.

So when Sunday comes around, and you feel that you are lone, come on down to Public Square and be with the people who care about you and feel the warmth they have to offer you.

Copyright NEOCH and the Homeless Grapevine Fall1993 Issue 3