Lehigh Acres’ only Monday through Friday lunchtime “soup kitchen” is shutting down and becoming a place where needy and hungry people can pick up food and take it home and cook it themselves.

Pastor Carlos Otero of the Christ United Methodist Church said a new Our Daily Bread Advisory Committee has met to evaluate the future direction of the soup kitchen.

Our Daily Bread was mainly referred to as a “food kitchen,” rather than a soup kitchen and opened its doors several years ago before the economy went sour.

At times, as many as 70 and 80 people have eaten at the Our Daily Bread food kitchen under the auspices of several cooks and many volunteers from throughout the community.

But Otero says the number of people coming to the food kitchen had dwindled recently.

The food kitchen was a ministry of Christ United Methodist Church along with a few other churches in the community that contributed food and some funding.

But the food kitchen has been surrounded with controversy since its beginning, long before Otero, the present minister came to Lehigh.

In the beginning, many at the Christ United Methodist Church voiced displeasure at having a soup kitchen at the church and some ended their membership. In the beginning, it was difficult to get other churches in Lehigh to help with food and it became a main mission of Christ Methodist Church.

But volunteers have never been a problem, with people coming from churches throughout the community to help serve a mid day hot meal.

But as of this month and in July, only one meal will be served on Mondays. On Wednesdays and Fridays only groceries will be distributed, he said.

The Our Daily Bread Advisory Committee chaired by Tom Foryt included Pastor Michael Porizo of New Image Ministries, several current volunteers (Paul Allen, Jane Mullikin, Raciely Hernandez (St. Raphael’s Church), Ben Bendola of First Baptist Church and Bruce Hyman a new Christ United Methodist Church member.

“We discussed the drop in ‘customers.’ Recently only nine people showed up plus six volunteers The average now is about 20.

“We questioned whether continuing operating as we currently are is meeting the needs of the hungry, needy population in Lehigh” Otero said.

“It was mentioned that many who come to our Wednesday food pantry, when told about the meal declined to go. They’re needy but do not want to eat in a ‘soup kitchen’ where they eat with strangers and have no choice about the food offered.

Otero said these people would much rather take groceries home and cook them there. The numbers of those who truly have no place to cook does not seem to justify continuing to operate as we have been doing, Otero said.

So the group made a decision to take the Our Daily Bread ministry in a different direction.

“While the goal is still the same, to provide food for hungry, needy people, instead of serving lunches, it will give out groceries, both non-perishable and fresh as available such as bread from Publix, fruits and vegetables.

“It will be called the Our Daily Bread Community Pantry and we invite all the churches in Lehigh that wish to participate to consolidate their pantry efforts into this one, centralized community pantry.”

Pastor Otero said this will eliminate “scammers” from going from church pantry to church pantry with the same story, abusing the system.

The new food ministry that will provide groceries instead of meals will operate on Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. and more than likely on Fridays. There will be set times to drop off food. Volunteers will receive donations, stock the food, assemble the distribution bags and boxes, greet, register and assist people who come for food assistance.

He said any cash donations will be used as in the past to purchase bulk food items through the Harry Chapin Food Bank and places like Sam’s. A Gospel tract of Christian literature will be included in each food parcel distributed, Otero said.

But Otero said he wanted to stress that for the transition time of June and the beginning of July, a meal will still be served on Mondays and that on Wednesdays, groceries will be distributed.

Otero asked those in the community to pray for the success of what he called this new approach to serve the needy in Lehigh Acres and also to pray that other churches will catch the vision and join in the effort.

Israel Lozazno, the last person who operated the food kitchen, is no longer with the organization and had no comment when called by The Citizen about the new changes.

Charlotte Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, said she didn’t know the number of people eating at the food kitchen had dropped but said she personally thinks the need for a meal is great in Lehigh under these hard economic times.

She also said Lehigh Community Services has an ample amount of food in its pantries to serve the people of Lehigh, thanks to the recent collection of food by local postal carriers.

She said that in Lehigh, food is distributed by St. Raphael’s Catholic Church (by appointment), the Faith Lutheran Church, the First Baptist Church, the First community Congregational Church, the LA Christian Church, Harvest Ministries, and Share Food Ministries. For more information on their phone numbers and the days they are open to distribute food, you can call Lehigh Community Services at 369-5818.

Nicely also noted that Lee county public schools is providing free meals for children up to age 18 during the summer food service program through August.

She said nutritionally balanced meals will be offered in communities in which at least 50 percent of the children qualify for free and reduced price meals during the school year.

While they are located throughout the county, the ones for this area include:

AIC, 1311 Edward Ave., Lehigh, 9 to 9:30 a.m. and noon to 12:30 p.m., July 12-16.

Alva Parks and Recreation, 21471 N. River Rd., Alva; noon to 12:45 p.m., July 12-16.,

Buckingham Exceptional, 15 Buckingham Rd., 8:30 to 9 a.m.and 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 o,n,<July 12-27.

Charleston Park, 2541 Charleston Park St., Alva, 11 a.m. to noon, June 17 to Aug. 12.

G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School., 1200 Homestead Rd. Lehigh, 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. and 10:45 to 12:45 p.m., June 21 to Aug. 6.

Lehigh Acres Elementary, 200 Schoolside Drive, Lehigh, 8 to 8:30 p.m., and 11:30 a.m. to noon, June 17 to Aug. 12. For more information, contact the school district office in Fort Myers.