CLEVELAND, OH – Iglesia Nueva Vida, a Cleveland church that has served families across Northeast Ohio for more than 30 years, has been awarded a fully repaved and expanded parking lot as the winner of Fox 8 Cleveland’s “Driveway to the Draft” contest, in partnership with locally owned commercial asphalt contractor Empire Paving.
Held ahead of NFL Draft season, the contest invited community members to nominate organizations making a difference in Northeast Ohio. According to Fox 8’s coverage, more than 700 entries were received, with Iglesia Nueva Vida selected as the winner.
Empire Paving crews resurfaced the church’s cracked, uneven parking lot and expanded it to create additional space for worshippers and for the families who rely on the church’s food pantry ministry, which serves more than 330 families every other week. Church leaders say the improvements make Sunday services and food distributions safer and more accessible for the community they serve.
“Pastor Reyes and Iglesia Nueva Vida have spent more than 30 years quietly serving this community — providing food, support, and a place to belong,” said Scott Heiman, Owner of Empire Paving. “We wanted to give back, and we’re honored to play a small part in supporting that mission. This is more than pavement — it’s a path forward for a lot of families.”
Pastor Jose Reyes said the project arrived at a critical moment for the growing congregation, whose aging lot had become a real challenge on busy Sundays. “This is something we have been waiting and praying for,” said Pastor Reyes. “We love this community and the community loves us. We are here to serve, and now we can do that more safely.”
The project was featured by Fox 8 Cleveland (WJW), Empire Paving’s media partner for the contest. Fox 8’s coverage of the repaving is available at https://fox8.com/news/cleveland-church-parking-lot-repaved-as-part-of-fox-8s-driveway-to-the-draft-contest/
Photos and full details of the project are available on Empire Paving’s website — see the full Iglesia Nueva Vida parking lot project.
About Empire Paving
Empire Paving is a locally owned commercial asphalt paving contractor serving Northeast Ohio for more than 20 years. Based in Cleveland, the company specializes in commercial and industrial asphalt paving, parking lot construction and maintenance, concrete work, and sewer and drainage solutions.
Media ContactCompany Name: Empire PavingContact Person: Scott HeimanEmail: Send EmailPhone: 216-581-1000 | Toll-Free: 1-800-ASPHALT (1-800-277-4258)Address:4620 Johnston Parkway City: ClevelandState: OH 44128Country: United StatesWebsite: https://www.empirepaving.biz
