After months of trying to find someone to do the job, First Community Congregational Church is finally having its roof repaired.

The Rev. Deb Frysinger said they have been waiting more than a year to have their roof replaced after Hurricane Irma.

“All the old shingles fell off,” she said. “Our old roof was completely destroyed.”

K Simon Construction took off all the old shingles last Monday and was getting ready to put new ones on the roof.

“We don’t have to pay a penny because there are people donating their services to help K Simon Construction. All of these people that are helping are from other roofing companies. They are donating their time to come and help us with our roof,” she said.

Before K Simon Construction, Frysinger said they had so many people refuse to help because the roof was so steep.

“They are climbing up and they are all tethered up with the rope. It’s really interesting to watch them and they are going very quickly,” she said.

The church was the first one in Lehigh Acres. It began with 31 people in 1956 when there was only 400 people in the community.

“Thirty-one people wanted to start building a church,” Frysinger said. “They saved enough money to build the sanctuary.”

At that time people of all denominations came together to worship because it was too hard and difficult to drive into Fort Myers, she said.

Throughout the years, they have been the home of many churches, so they too could save up money and build their own.

“We are a small church, but we also have the largest food bank, food agency in Lehigh Acres,” Frysinger said.

The food bank is open anywhere from five to six days a week. It includes a bread pantry, food pantry, soup kitchen, produce pantry and a senior food agency.

“We are the largest senior food agency in the state of Florida,” Frysinger said. “It’s a government program and seniors over 60 years of age qualify financially.”

Seniors receive an additional 35 to 45 pounds of food a month through the program.

In 2017, the food bank helped a little more than 150,000 people.

“We are one of the smallest churches of Lehigh, but have the biggest heart of Lehigh,” she said.

During Hurricane Irma, First Community Congregational Church was the hub for FEMA and Red Cross.

“Red Cross was here six days a week. They fed two meals a day and people were standing in line all down the parking lot. When FEMA came and passed out tarps and all kinds of cleaning supplies, our church people were right there helping people pass things out,” Frysinger said.

Ninety percent of the help comes from the government to keep the programs running, while 10 percent comes from the community.

“We are looking for a grant writer. We thought we had one until she started trying to help and get the information and got too overwhelmed and quit. We are looking for a proper grant writer. They get a percentage of whatever money we are able to have,” Frysinger said.

First Community Congregational Church is at 200 Leeland Heights Blvd. E. For more information, call (239) 369-1615.