Volunteers continue food kitchen mission

After altering its procedures, a group of Putnam County volunteers continues to provide free food to people despite coronavirus fears.

Bread of Life will continue to serve free lunch, but the organization has made changes to its practices and hours of operation. 

For the foreseeable future, Bread of Life will be providing meals 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Palatka.

“Our faith, as we practice it, is to care for the most vulnerable people in society,” Bread of Life board member Cliff Lyda said. “We had to figure out how we could do this while at the same time engaging in the social practices recommended by the state due to the coronavirus.”

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Bread of Life used to operate on Saturdays as well. Now, the organization will provide two meals on Friday as a substitute.

In addition to changing its hours, Bread of Life is now requiring volunteers to sign up beforehand. The organization is now delivering food to people outside of the church instead of indoors.

“We are compelled to look after the most vulnerable people in our community,” Lyda said. “If you don’t feed people, they’re going to get sick. That’ll just make it worse. We feel like we’re contributing to the public welfare and public health by doing this.”

Monday was the first day Bread of Life operated with its new procedures. According to Lyda, 52 people came to First Presbyterian Church that day for a free meal.

Lyda said Bread of Life often serves children and expressed concern over how they would eat during their extended, two-week spring break.

However, the Putnam County School District will provide free breakfast and lunch to students who are 18 and younger March 24 through April 15.

Superintendent Rick Surrency said Browning-Pearce Elementary, Middleton-Burney Elementary, Interlachen Elementary, Jenkins Middle and Melrose Elementary will have drive-thru food services  10 a.m. – 1 p.m. There will also be school buses delivering food to students at Crescent City, Interlachen and Palatka bus stops.

“We don’t know how long this whole thing will last,” Surrency said. “If school continues to be canceled, we are prepared to continue providing food to our students.”

On Tuesday evening, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced school will be canceled until April 15.

For more information about Bread of Life, call -328-1435.

For more information about the Putnam County School District’s food services program, visit www. putnamschools.org or www.facebook.com/PutnamCountySchoolsFL/.