Pastor Richard Blue of Grace Bible Church in Buckingham, just outside Lehigh Acres, is one of thousands of ministers across the nation along with close to a million people who got the bad news that Angel Food Ministries won’t be able to distribute food this month.

Blue said his church has nearly 100 families now that depend on the Angel Food program where you can purchase food at a modest price that is about at least half of the retail price at a grocery store or supermarket.

Many of those families who go to Grace Bible Church on the last Saturday of the month to pick up their food are Lehigh residents.

There are several other churches in Lee County, from Bonita to Fort Myers to Cape Coral that distribute food to hundreds of families in the county.

The multi-million dollar food nonprofit says it will cease operations immediately, according to a statement provided to The Associated Press.

For the last few years up to a few months ago, a church in Lehigh was handling more than 100 orders a month but had to stop due to logistical reasons, a spokeswoman there told The Citizen at the time it ended the program.

Those who purchase food from Angel Food Ministries do not have to meet income requirements. It is open to everyone across the country and most have found it a way to save money and to stretch food.

The ministry, based out of Georgia, was suspended, and its future for continuing nationwide is uncertain, according to news accounts. For the past 17 years, the focus of the organization has been providing low-cost food to aid hunger relief.

“It was shocking news,” said Pastor Richard Blue in Buckingham.

“We received the news via email a several days ago and we don’t know what the situation really is except that they are having massive financial problems and that is why the food distribution program has been suspended. They didn’t tell us when it would resume.

“I hope it resumes in October because there are so many people in this area who depend on it,” Blue said.

The suspension of the food distribution program is facing many of the same problems other businesses are. It’s part of what many organizations are going through locally and nationwide.

Churches like Grace Bible Church in Buckingham have noted the rise in food and fuel prices combined with a decline in sales across the county as the reason behind the ministry being put on hold until further notice.

Those families in Lehigh and in other areas of the county that have purchased food online received emails last week that the service was being put on hold until further notice and blamed economics as the reason for the suspension of the service.

Families that have ordered food generally have gone online to put in their orders. Those that have paid for orders for food for September already were told in their emails that their money would be refunded.

Angel Food Ministries works through a network of nearly 5,000 churches and some community organizations in 45 states and helps more than 500,000 families.

While sales have gone down in many parts of the nation due to economics, Pastor Blue said each month over the past four months, the number of families buying food in this area has risen.

Pastor Blue has been at the church on the last Saturday of the month to greet folks who come to pick up the food they have purchased.

“I am going to miss that,” he said. “We also served them coffee and donuts while they were here. We had volunteers who worked at passing out the orders,” he said.

He noted that people are unemployed and don’t have the money to buy boxes of food in many areas.

“It’s not just for folks who are disadvantaged, it’s a good food assortment for those who are struggling to save money. We do know there will be quite a few families affected by it. It’s a good thing; we hope it will come back,” Pastor Blue said.

And because of the suspension of the program, the church won’t be handing out free bread and rolls that it has gotten in the past from area stores.

According to news accounts, the boxes of food are sold for up to half off what someone might pay in a grocery store and it is difficult for many customers to pay for the food and then have to wait 10 or more days to get it. ?

“We are praying that the program will resume. They may have to raise prices and restructure in order to survive,” Pastor Blue said.

He noted that he has received some calls at the church but he is unable to tell families any more than what they are being told by Angel Food Ministries.

“People who depend on getting this food may start looking at the some of the churches in the area where food is given away. That may help some families who have come to depend on Angel Food Ministries, but other than that, I don’t have any solutions,” he said.

When folks come to the church on the last Saturday of the month, in addition to the adult volunteers, there are several teenagers in the church who help people load their cars with their purchases, Pastor Blue said.

Because of the announcement by Angel Food Ministries, there is no need to call the churches in Lee County that help distribute the food. They have no more information that has been released to the public.

“We know it is going to be difficult for many families who have come to depend on Angel Food Ministries to supplement their grocery shopping. It’s all due to these hard economic times and we pray there is help at other places for many of these families,” he said.

A full explanation is offered to the public at Angelfoodministries.com. There is an apology offered and a promise to return payment to those who had already put in their orders for September. Locally in Lee County, the next pick-up date would have been Sept. 24.