The Christian Service Center for the Homeless in Ocoee, Florida, will be closing its doors on July 31 after 45 years of serving the community. However, assistance services such as the food pantry, computer lab, and SNAP food-stamps services will cease operations on June 30.

A Difficult Decision

Leaders of the Christian Service Center stated that the decision to close was incredibly difficult, but due to the inability to secure the necessary resources to operate the Ocoee campus long-term, it was unavoidable. For decades, volunteers at the center have provided hot meals to struggling residents, the homeless, and children.

Residents who have relied on the center’s services are now left to find alternative means of support. Jane Gonzales, a long-time user of the center’s services, expressed her concern, saying, “I just have to get food other ways.” Jeri Comeau, another user, stated, “For it to be closing down, it’s just sad… I have no clue what to do. A lot of people are going to be lost without it.”

Community Support

Despite the closure, the community has shown its support for the center. Westgate Resorts brought a dozen volunteers to the center on Thursday. Jill Bosley, vice president of Westgate Foundation and Community Affairs, said, “Westgate cares. We want to make sure that our community, where team members live and work, is taken care of.”

Eric Gray, executive director of the Christian Service Center, emphasized the need for resources to support the growing community. “It costs money to feed 200 people lunch every day,” he said. “What’s really occurred is as we’ve grown as an organization and expenses have gone up, we don’t have the support that we need to continue operating in that community.”

Although the Ocoee campus is closing, services will continue at the downtown Orlando location. However, some residents have expressed concerns about the distance, saying it’s too far for them to travel.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.