Wellness

HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Salem United Methodist Church Addresses Hunger in Harlem

By Lil Nickelson

Salem United Methodist Church (“SUMC”) is located at 2190 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd, on the Northwest corner of 129th Street. SUMC was founded in 1881 as a mission and grew to become a separate church in 1908. By 1923 its congregation had grew to over 600 at which time they purchased and moved to its present location. SUMC has been home to many of Harlem’s cultural and intellectual elite, such as singer Marian Anderson and poet Countee Cullen. The Reverend Dr. Marvin Anthony Moss is the church’s current pastor since 2014.

The congregation began addressing hunger in Harlem 10 years ago when Sister Bitha Alexander started a weekly can goods drive to give away to community residents she saw needed help. Other congregation members like Sister Barbara Ellison-Miller joined in and a new church ministry, Hunger Relief Ministry was formed, and Mrs. Miller is Executive Director.

Most houses of worship closed their buildings to wor-

Rooftop Garden Salem United Methodist Church ship services since March 2020 when COVID-19 invaded our state and Gov. Cuomo put New York State on pause. The spirit to serve those less fortunate were intensified by the efforts of the men and women that worship at SUMC and/or volunteer with SUMC’s Hunger Relief Ministry. The ministry’s mission is to minister to the needs of those who are unable to care for themselves by feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Before COVID-19 provisions were made on each Wednesday through the soup kitchen they used to operate.

Since the summer of 2020 they started giving away 9,700 take home cold meals in total over five days a week (Tuesday through Saturday) starting at 11am that are supplied mainly by the restaurants selected by a collaboration of church officials and staff from Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce (“GHCC”) and the financial sponsor, Brooklyn born non-profit food group Rethink Food NYC.

SUMC Hunger Relief ministry also serves as a food bank and they give out groceries starting at 10 am every Friday that give away bags of meat, fruit, produce, dairy, eggs, orange juice and naturally can goods too. Sister Bitha Alexander relocated out of NY some years ago, however, the ministry she planted the seeds for live on. Mrs. Miller has over 50 years of worshipping at SUMC since she was in middle school. She sent me photos of a roof top garden the ministry built with grants obtained that enables the ministry to grow eggplants, fresh herbs or any other produce that crosses their minds.

I asked Mrs. Miller how is SUMC able to obtain some many grants to address feeding hungry Harlem residents. I had no prior grant writing experience. I just had a lot of time on my hands after I left work as a Project Manager for Verizon until 2010 and church leaders gave me their blessings. I started writing grant proposals because I knew we had the physical space here to serve our surrounding community and look what God has done; to Him be the glory.

Death Notice: Dr. Clayton Lyle Natta

Dr. Clayton Lyle Natta passed away unexpectedly on February 10th, 2021 at his residence in New York City. He was 88.

Dr. Natta was born in San Fernando, Trinidad. He graduated with a Batchelor’s Degree from McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario and an MD from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. After a one-year research position at The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Scotland, he completed an additional fellowship in Hematology at New York University’s School of Medicine. In his spare time, he loved working out at the gym, baking bread, and doing private research in his lab. Dr. Natta was an accomplished ping pong player and was active in his local table tennis league.

Dr. Natta’s primary area of research was in cell mutation, sickle cell anemia, and other blood disorders. He served as Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia Presbyterian as well as the Chief of Hematology at Harlem Hospital. He was a prolific researcher, writer, and teacher, and authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in the field of Chemistry in 1983 and has been noted in Who’s Who in International Medicine as well as Who’s Who among African Americans.

Dr. Natta was loved by his family, staff, and patients alike. His quick wit, dry sense of humor, and passionate care for his fellow human beings permeated his work and home life. He had a private medical practice in Harlem and was known to help anyone who needed medical care – whether they were able to pay or not.

Dr. Natta is survived by his wife Stephenie and their children, Andrea and Laura, brothers Elton, Gilbert, and St. Clair, sisters Barbara and Marjorie, numerous nieces and nephews, his trusted assistant Anna Nova and trusted longtime friend Hazel Hendricks.

Due to COVID 19, funeral services will be private. A memorial service will be planned in 2022. The family asks that memorial donations be made to The Sickle Cell Foundation https://www.scdfc.org/donateto-a-specific-program-or-event

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