Giving back in Slavic Village

CLEVELAND - As Martha Dixon-Grayson continued to search through a rack of donated clothes, she said, "It's starting to get cold outside, I found sweaters and jeans for me and my children."

A young mother of three and currently unemployed, Dixon-Grayson said her tight budget can't really afford anything else. Saturday, at the Elizabeth Baptist Church, she received a helping hand.  The church, located in Cleveland's Slavic Village, welcomed Dixon-Grayson and many more as part of their "1,000 Pound Food Giveaway." 

"This is a great opportunity for us to serve this community," said Pastor Richard Gibson. 

Every second Saturday of the month, Gibson says the Church serves around 700 people with clothing and other items.  But as we spoke with Dixon-Grayson, she told us, perhaps the most needed is food. 

"If there wasn't a program like this," she said, "there would be a lot of nights that I didn't eat because I'd be making sure my kids ate."

Saturday, the young mother isn't only one who's received help from the church. 

Leroy Davis told NewsChannel5, "When I first came here, I wasn't eating food so yeah, I came here and everything I asked for they gave it to me."

Davis described moving from South Carolina to Cleveland almost empty-handed.  After finding help at the church, he decided to make a full circle and spent his Saturday serving the food that was being given away.

"Blessed," is how Davis described being able to do so.  "Just to see all the people with food," he continued, "I thank God that he gave me the strength to help them.

"The Bible says the poor will always be among us so we think that as being part of the Slavic Community and part of the greater Cleveland community that, that need will always be there," said Pastor Gibson.

The church accepts donations from all over to make every second Saturday of the month possible. 

For more information visit: http://www.elizabethbaptistchurch.net/