FEEDING IS BELIEVING VAL VERDE COUPLE STARTS MINISTRY TO HELP THE NEEDY.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

VAL VERDE - About a year ago, Yuleth Martinez came home from work to find 10 or 12 poorly dressed and hungry kids at her house, a home always open to the youngsters in Val Verde.

``I just cooked a big meal and fed everyone'' she said, explaining the origins of Overflowing Blessing Ministries. ``The Lord opened our eyes and said that's where we're needed.''

Yuleth, 30, and her husband, Edward, 35, decided to create the nonprofit food and clothing ministry that would provide for the less fortunate in the largely lower-income community in a canyon west of Santa Clarita.

``I felt the Lord moving me to do this,'' Edward said of the ministry the couple established on Dec. 29, 1999. ``I saw children and adults that were in need and thought to bring them in and feed them naturally first, then give spiritual guidance.''

Yuleth remembered nine years ago when she and Edward had just gotten married and she had to pawn her jewelry to buy groceries.

``Now our cupboards are so full,'' Yuleth said. ``The Lord just blessed us so much, and we wanted to help others who needed it.''

Not being able to find a facility to hold the donated items, the Martinezes decided to work out of their garage.

Working for one week straight until midnight installing drywall and painting, the family was able to transform the garage into a makeshift food and clothing bank with rows of donated clothes - all washed and ironed by Yuleth and her family - and some donated food.

People had also donated boxes of shoes and T-shirts, and someone had donated a refrigerator to the ministry for the perishable foods.

``The refrigerator doesn't have anything in it yet, but that'll change,'' Edwards said. ``We just wanted to have our grand opening when we said we would so people would see that we were serious about what we're doing.''

The ministry will have its grand opening from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. today at 28718 Lincoln Ave. in Val Verde.

The Martinezes won't be able to distribute food until Aug. 18, when they collect donations from the Los Angeles Food Bank. The plan is to open to the needy on the third Saturday of each month.

Edward said he would like to find somebody to write a grant to help raise money to move the ministry to larger quarters in three to six months. He envisions a building with kitchen facilities to be able to provide hot meals to people not just in Val Verde, but in the entire Santa Clarita Valley.

Permanently disabled, Edward, an ordained minister who has suffered four strokes in the last three years, stays home and spends his time working on the ministry. Both he and Yuleth, a missionary, have been active members of the Macedonia Church of God and Christ in Val Verde.

They've even gotten their three children, Vanessa, 12, Edward, 8, and Robert, 3, involved in the ministry.

``I got tears in my eyes when I saw my 3-year-old shove clothes in the washer,'' Yuleth said about the donated clothing they washed.

``We just want to let the community know we're going to be here,'' Yuleth said.

To donate to the ministry, call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Lupe Esel, left, Yuleth Martinez, Gina Court and Vanessa Martinez sort donated clothing for the Overflowing Blessing Ministries to distribute out of the Martinez family home in Val Verde.

(2 -- color) Edward and Yuleth Martinez are the founders of the Overflowing Blessing Ministries, having is grand opening today.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer