Founder Melissa Gisselle began life much like any other child—joyful, curious, and bold. Her early days were filled with wonder, often climbing to the tops of towering redwoods to sit, read, and speak to the trees. She was a force of nature: a barefoot track runner, a fearless football player with an arm like Joe Montana, and a heart full of dreams. By age 14, her work ethic had already emerged, driven by the desire for a pair of blue asphalt bell-bottom jeans. She began working and never stopped.
But life, as it often does, took a turn. At 19, Melissa experienced her first mental health crisis. After a traumatic stay in a local psychiatric facility, she entered a period of denial. For the next ten years, she wrestled silently with a condition she refused to name. At 29, a full-blown manic episode nearly cost her everything—her life, stability, and peace of mind.
Melissa went from a successful, high-functioning individual to someone who struggled to meet her basic needs. Homelessness followed. She lived in her car, parked wherever she could find safety—sometimes at drive-ins, sometimes in quiet corners of the city. Hospitalizations, therapy sessions, and police encounters became frequent. The cyclical chaos of untreated mental illness kept dragging her down, and despite her strength, she could not yet accept the medical truth: her brain needed care.
She resisted medication, clinging to old habits and denial. Every time she began to rise, she would crash again—back to Barbara Aarons Pavilion, back to the bottom. "Will it never end?" she wondered.
Then in 2018, grace appeared. A friend named Alli saw Melissa's cry for help on social media. With no hesitation, Alli offered Melissa a place to live in Modesto. That gesture changed everything. With a safe foundation and a loving environment, Melissa took her healing seriously. She pursued every available resource—therapy with Telecare, doctor visits, support groups, and, most importantly, medication. This time, she embraced it all.
She no longer rejected her diagnosis. Instead, she transformed it into fuel. She began rebuilding her life with clarity and intention. Melissa chose to pursue a long-held, quiet passion: feeding people. With help from the Department of Rehabilitation, she enrolled in culinary school and began working in local restaurants. Her calling was clear. It wasn’t just about cooking—it was about healing, service, and connection.
By 2020, she was feeding others in restaurants, but her soul craved deeper purpose. She knew she had to go where the need was greatest. So she followed a divine call to Sacramento, California.
The transition was not easy. Doubt and hardship persisted. But her faith fueled her fury, and her mission was unwavering. Melissa started waking up at 4 a.m. to serve coffee and donuts to people living on the streets of Arden. Later, she made hearty meals like shepherd's pie, handing them out from the trunk of her car. With each meal came prayers, read from the Catholic prayer book gifted by her grandmother, Estella Chavez.
People thought she was crazy. How could someone with so little give so much? But Melissa knew—she was never alone. Her faith in God gave her strength, and she gave that strength away every day.
This past Easter, Melissa cooked for over 13 hours. She drove through Sacramento, offering a feast of cakes, ribs, green bean casserole, candied yams, cornbread, and more to anyone in need. People stood in line, laughing and crying, full of awe at the food and love served from her car. Some fell into food comas, others asked for second helpings. One man, when asked what his favorite part of the meal was, said, *"Not having to look through the trash cans for food."
Melissa got home after midnight and cried. She cried for the pain she saw, for the love she gave, and for the desire to do even more.
Today, with the help of contributors, benefactors, and her business, Stella Maris Cuisine, Melissa is building something bigger. After three years in Sacramento, her vision is becoming reality. Little Flower Ministries is not just a dream—it's the embodiment of her journey.
She has now lived manic-free since 2018, leading a healthy, faithful life. Melissa walks with God and the Saints, knowing that beauty can rise from ashes. Her life is a testimony to transformation.
"God will transform your ashes to beauty. Stay in faith and never let the fire burn out."
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