Cleveland church serves Christmas meals to unhoused community

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – While many people spent Christmas Day at home with family, volunteers at Denison United Church of Christ chose to give back by serving warm meals and sharing essential items with members of the unhoused community.

Music and dancing filled the room as volunteers like Sonia Matos handed out food and gifts to people experiencing homelessness.

“You know we could be at home with our families, but we choose to be here because we believe there’s a need, and if it wasn’t for what we do here today, a lot of our clients would not eat,” Matos said.

Along with warm meals, people received gift bags filled with necessities including hats, gloves, scarves, cookies and toilet tissue.

“It’s what they need to survive out there,” Matos said.

Matos said giving back to the community puts her in the Christmas spirit.

“It’s just heartwarming, and it touches my heart that we are able to do that for them, and they are grateful for it,” she said.

While it may be Christmas Day, this act of service is nothing new for the volunteers. The church on Denison Avenue opens six days a week, providing warm meals to people experiencing homelessness.

“There’s a need in the community and we’re here to fill that need,” Matos said.

The church also offers showers, laundry services and a mailing address, resources designed to help people take the next step forward.

For Matos, the message is simple, helping others doesn’t require much, just a willingness to show up.

“It doesn’t take a lot, all it takes is a little bit of humbleness and a little bit of heart to help the community,” she said.