I may be totally misreading this, and if so, please correct me Angel, as this is just my initial impression.
I'm sure it is much more convenient for the church members to hold this event on its own property. And I am sure there are needy people there. But the need in Berea of all places is surely much, much less than that of Cleveland. Plus, not everyone has a car and can drive from their less priviledged city to Berea. And RTA has been making it more difficult to get to work on weekdays. The weekend schedule is worse. I haven't looked, but it might not be that easy to get from some of the areas of less abundance to Berea.

Why don't they join hands with an inner city church and give at least half to that church to donate?

In the interests of full disclosure,  I am an Episcopalian, or was until they closed down my church, Historic St. John's, one of the few Episcopal churches in this part of the country where one could get "smells and bells". I don't know what has happened to my membership, I guess I am just in limbo. And you thought only the Catholic Church was shutting churches.

I had a friend from Boston visit this summer, and I asked him his opinion about Bishop Lennon and the church closings.

He immediately replied that it was ethnic cleansing and that it was STILL continuing, had nothing to do with Lennon but with The Church's desires.

As you know well, Hunger is not discrimatory....I once lived in Strongsville and there are many suburbanite families struggling at this stage in our econcomy. Many families who never thought they'd be "choosing between food and utilities" are now going through troubled times-as we all know. At the end of the day, I believe that the leadership of this church took the initiative to collaborate with the Cleveland Foodbank in their FRESH PRODUCE INITIATIVE. Your churches in your neighborhood have the same opportunity as does this church and perhaps you can refer some of your local leadership to collaborate this for the needy in your neighborhood. I have listed the info from their website below for your reference.

I will reserve my opinions about local leadership's oversights of programs such as these because I am thoroughly aware of their 'for profit' "FARMER'S MARKET INITIATIVE!" I know how they oversight the low income, needy, and homeless needs around our community. I am personally a recipient of the Fresh Produce Initiative...as it's a first come/first served situation...I was blessed a couple months ago to be in the vicinity of one of these give aways. It was a pleasant, open,  experience-and it was at a church by the VA Hospital.

I will pray for the questions I cannot answer regarding the issues of faith too. I understand your concerns about the church issues. Yet, I am very glad to hear that folks are working together to provide these type of events for the families in need. I hope these below references will empower your local group, maybe even the OSS could do a Produce Initiative for your residents... May God Bless! 

	Fresh Produce Initiative Last year the Cleveland Foodbank distributed over 7 million pounds of produce to our member agencies. The Foodbank receives produce from the Northern Ohio Food Terminal, Feeding America, Ohio growers and processors, and other suppliers and retailers. The Foodbank staff and volunteers sort and glean all donated produce before it goes to member agencies for distribution.  Member agencies can access fresh produce in a variety of ways.  Agencies can order fresh produce with their pick-up or deliveries. Fresh produce is also available in the Foodbank Marketplace. On the produce route low income and senior housing buildings receive a weekly delivery of fresh produce and bread throughout the year.  Through the Farmer’s Market program, participating member agencies receive a truck of fresh produce and distribute to community members within a few hours of delivery. Last year the Foodbank partnered with 46 different member agencies and hosted 258 Farmer’s Market distributions. This year the Foodbank is looking to expand the Farmer’s Market program in areas that lack access to fresh produce. Contact Us  Thea DeRosa, Director of Programs Cleveland Foodbank, Inc. 15500 South Waterloo Road Cleveland, Ohio 44110 216.738.2127 tderosa [at] clevelandfoodbank [dot] org

Yesterday, I was blessed to get to participate in the Fresh Food Give Away program. I was able to receive fresh cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, butterscotch squash, onions, and beets....an interesting variety and choice. While I have never cooked or ate several of these items before (Beets, butterscotch squash)....it was quite interesting to hear all the wonderful people elicit great cooking ideas and combinations that would make these fresh items delightfully good...and I really look forward to enjoying them.

Most ideas were to bake or boil these items-yet, I don't have a stove and oven at this time... So, I'll do my best to make them work with the hotplate & microwave! Smiles.

As I had gotten there near the end, I believe that they had run out of the fruits such as apples that had been there early. While the end of the day came to a close, it was absolutely wonderful to see this church congregation spread a sense of unconditional love and consideration for the families in need. A friend of mine carpooled to this far out location with us. He cannot read or write too well and as they put the papers in front of us to complete-he hesitated with frustration and embarrassment. Without much more-we got his paperwork submitted and then loaded up our items.

Within minutes-it was over....the pallets were emptied, the parking lot was swept, and the army of faithful congregants began to dissipate. A few stragglers arrived to find only cases of cucumbers and bags of onions/beets left which was still a treat. When it was over, the leftovers were sent with various folks who take the fresh goods to the folks who are immobile, elderly, or disabled. I personally left the event only to travel to 10 other families and drop off the fresh produce gifts to them personally.... I barely made it home by 9pm to close out this event. Amazingly, the folks I took the food to asked if they were in turn allowed to redistribute what they could not use to the people around them? I said, of course....It's fresh produce and we don't want it to go to waste! 

Amazingly, these kind of fresh produce give aways spread far and wide beyond the idealisms of the planners. Most folks who attend redistribute those goods to others in need. I received a wake up call already getting thank you's from several needy folks who were not home when we dropped off the food. It's a blessing to know that these goods will be appreciated by so many throughout our region!!!

Amazingly, they should do this in Tremont-as many of the people who received good from distributions today-live in Tremont!