Feeding the hungry: Church group helps feed those in need
MEL TOADVINE Pastor Deb Frysinger removes a ham from one the many freezers and refrigerators at the church. Food like this is being given away in other food programs held at the church.
A federal food program is making it possible to feed several hundred people in Lehigh Acres monthly, but eligible recipients must be at least 60 and make no more than $1,176 a month.
There are two local sites – First Congregational Community Church, at 200 Leeland Heights Blvd., and Presbyterian Homes, which handles its own program for 100 residents.
Pastor Deb Frysinger and an army of volunteers help to make it possible at First Congregational Community Church.
“It’s a federal program and we have been in it since last June. We are the only church doing this in Lehigh,” she said.
She noted that last year when federal regulators came to Lehigh to introduce the program and show volunteers how to take applications, they were surprised that there were so many who qualified.
Only 400 seniors are eligible for the program through the church. When the word got out and people came to apply, Frysinger said it grew to 1,200 people who applied.
Those over the applicable age are put on a waiting list.
“We have 600 seniors on the waiting list now,” Frysinger said.
She explained that most people in Lehigh do not know just how many residents are in need. The groceries given away are meant to feed the recipient for a month. The allotments of food are all geared to the age and household size.
The food is free to the church like it is to Presbyterian Homes. It comes from the Harry Chapin Food Bank, which does not pay for it through the federal program.
“We keep our files of names and everyone must be qualified, Frysinger said.
If a person does not show up for their food on the correct day, if that person has not been heard from after a few hours, the person is removed from the program.
The person then has to wait to get back on the list, she said.
To apply, stop by the church on the first Tuesday of the month.
A family gets about 40 to 50 pounds of food, and there is always milk and two pounds of cheese.
Church officials have asked for more food to feed the increased demand, but the program currently cannot supply any more.
Frysinger said there are many seniors barely making it, and others not making it at all without help.
“Some of our people have no income at all,” she said. “I could come up with 2,000 people here in Lehigh easily who would be eligible. People just don’t realize how people can’t buy food.”
“We are a mission church and our number one priority is to help people of Lehigh,” Frysinger said.
There are 45 volunteers who help out with the program.
Sandra Brown, 68, a great-grandmother with a five-member household, is one of the recipients. Brown said she gets $1,100 a month and has no other income.
“We have to pay for food in some of our programs. That is the reason we have fundraisers, to raise money to pay Harry Chapin Food Bank for foods,” Frysinger said. “We don’t get many checks from people in the community and the post office, which does food drives in Lehigh, does not include us when they collect food and give it to Lehigh Community Services.”
“That is why we ask for support and hold so many fundraisers to get the money we need,” she said. “We’re always a little behind in paying Harry Chapin for the food they sell at low prices. It’s because we don’t always have the money.”
The federal program is the only food one that the church does not pay for.
Feeding the hungry: Church group helps feed those in need
MEL TOADVINE Pastor Deb Frysinger removes a ham from one the many freezers and refrigerators at the church. Food like this is being given away in other food programs held at the church.
A federal food program is making it possible to feed several hundred people in Lehigh Acres monthly, but eligible recipients must be at least 60 and make no more than $1,176 a month.
There are two local sites – First Congregational Community Church, at 200 Leeland Heights Blvd., and Presbyterian Homes, which handles its own program for 100 residents.
Pastor Deb Frysinger and an army of volunteers help to make it possible at First Congregational Community Church.
“It’s a federal program and we have been in it since last June. We are the only church doing this in Lehigh,” she said.
She noted that last year when federal regulators came to Lehigh to introduce the program and show volunteers how to take applications, they were surprised that there were so many who qualified.
Only 400 seniors are eligible for the program through the church. When the word got out and people came to apply, Frysinger said it grew to 1,200 people who applied.
Those over the applicable age are put on a waiting list.
“We have 600 seniors on the waiting list now,” Frysinger said.
She explained that most people in Lehigh do not know just how many residents are in need. The groceries given away are meant to feed the recipient for a month. The allotments of food are all geared to the age and household size.
The food is free to the church like it is to Presbyterian Homes. It comes from the Harry Chapin Food Bank, which does not pay for it through the federal program.
“We keep our files of names and everyone must be qualified, Frysinger said.
If a person does not show up for their food on the correct day, if that person has not been heard from after a few hours, the person is removed from the program.
The person then has to wait to get back on the list, she said.
To apply, stop by the church on the first Tuesday of the month.
A family gets about 40 to 50 pounds of food, and there is always milk and two pounds of cheese.
Church officials have asked for more food to feed the increased demand, but the program currently cannot supply any more.
Frysinger said there are many seniors barely making it, and others not making it at all without help.
“Some of our people have no income at all,” she said. “I could come up with 2,000 people here in Lehigh easily who would be eligible. People just don’t realize how people can’t buy food.”
“We are a mission church and our number one priority is to help people of Lehigh,” Frysinger said.
There are 45 volunteers who help out with the program.
Sandra Brown, 68, a great-grandmother with a five-member household, is one of the recipients. Brown said she gets $1,100 a month and has no other income.
“We have to pay for food in some of our programs. That is the reason we have fundraisers, to raise money to pay Harry Chapin Food Bank for foods,” Frysinger said. “We don’t get many checks from people in the community and the post office, which does food drives in Lehigh, does not include us when they collect food and give it to Lehigh Community Services.”
“That is why we ask for support and hold so many fundraisers to get the money we need,” she said. “We’re always a little behind in paying Harry Chapin for the food they sell at low prices. It’s because we don’t always have the money.”
The federal program is the only food one that the church does not pay for.
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