Elizabeth Sanchez and Yasnmea Pino are shown at the Lehigh Acres mobile pantry drive last week in Lehigh Acres. Nearly 1,000 people came to receive food. Several from different agencies helped pass it out. Photo by Mel Toadvine

The Mobile Food Pantry came to Lehigh last week and handed out enough food to feed nearly a thousand people. That was the word from Charlotte Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services.

“There were some 280 families that has registered to receive food and that represented roughly 962 people,” she said. “More people may have come later if we had food left over.”

Food and assistance came from such agencies as the Harry Chapin Food Bank, the United Way, the Salvation Army, and Community Cooperative Ministries (CCMI).

“It has to be one of the largest outpouring of people in Lehigh to receive food,” Nicely said. “Times are hard and it breaks my heart to see so many people in need of food.”

The temperatures were hovering in the low 90s when the lines began to appear at just before 1 p.m. at the 201 Lehigh Community Services address.

From left, Doris Moore, a staffer with Lehigh Community Services, Dawn Ziegler with the Dr. Piper for Social Services agency and Claudia Tellez, with Lehigh Community Services, check people off who have registered to receive free food in Lehigh. Photo by Mel Toadvine

People were standing in a line that stretched halfway around the building. Trucks and other vehicles were parked in a semi-circle, in the parking lot, each handing out food to people who had registered.

Not everyone had, Nicely said. But she told them that if they came back at around 2:30 p.m. and if there was any food left, they would happily give it out.

When the program began, the line was nearly triple in width and stretched all the way out to Plaza Drive.

Helping to pass the food out were volunteers and representatives of the various organizations and staffers with Lehigh Community Services.

Those standing in line wiped sweat from their faces as they waited in line, some for an hour or more because there were so many people. They had to present themselves and sign for the food, so everyone who had registered, would get a fair share. Some received more than others because of the size of their families.

Rosanno Alvardo with Lehigh Community Services was one of the helpers handing out food in Lehigh during last week’s Mobile Food Drive.

Sheilye Montano of Lehigh was one of the clients standing in line.

“It’s hot enough standing here, but it is a very good thing they are doing and I am very appreciative,” she said.

Henry Gomez, a volunteer and manager of the Kiwanis Store in Lehigh was helping to hand out hundreds of bags of carrots.

“The folks are very appreciative for what we all are doing. Many of them will say ‘God bless you’ when they are given the produce,” he said.

All kinds of foods, produce, canned food and other items were passed out. A volunteer accompanied a client and even offered in most cases to help take the food to their cars. Not only was the parking lot filled at where the food was being handed out, but the adjacent hotel parking lot was filled, too.

Henry Gomez hands out many large bags of carrots during last week’s food giveaway in Lehigh.

Elizabeth Sanchez and Yasmea Pino stood in the line, peeking to the front in the heat to see how much longer they may have to stand, but the standing was worth it, they said.

“This is just a very good thing these people are doing to help so many people who are having a rough time,” she said.

Holly Kane of Lehigh said she was a laid off daycare worker and the food for her family of four children would be of a great help.

“It’s hard to find a job,” she said.

Argie Lorenzo, who said she had been a bookkeeper when she lost her job, said this was her first time to ask for food.

Long lines of Lehigh residents wait to receive food last week during a mobile pantry food giveaway.

“It is really such a great help for the community and everyone I talk to is very appreciative of the help,” she said.

Angie Quintero of Lehigh agreed that the help was needed in the community.

“I am retired, it is just me, but it is a wonderful thing they are doing,” she said after waiting 90 minutes in the sweltering heat.

Natalie Felix who is with the Dr. Ella Piper for Social Service Center, had come to Lehigh for another reason, but decided to volunteer to help.

“It’s a sign of our times. Everyone I have worked with has been very friendly. People do need help,” she said.

Off to the side of the building were two members of Voice, a volunteer group of helpers at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. They were there to make sure everything went smoothly.

“And it did without a hitch,” said Chuck Hyde. Also on hand was Richard Schroder.

Lehigh Acres Community Services Director Rae Nicely said there are two more mobile food deliveries in other communities. For more information, those who need help can call Lehigh Community Services.

Personnel there can give the names of several churches in Lehigh that hand out groceries and food to those in need, too.