NAPLES, Fla. — St. Matthew's House in Naples recently adopted a new way for people to get food.
"Someone who comes through a food bank, they're not there in the best spirits," said Community Impact Coordinator for St. Matthew's House Manny Vazquez. "They don't want to be there. So, we're trying to change the whole experience for them."
St. Matthew's House implemented a model in May that lets people pick out their own food items.
Shoppers like Jose Ramirez told FOX 4's Victoria Scott it gives him peace of mind.
You can watch Victoria's full report here:
"Now, it's more comfortable to take a cart and go shopping," Ramirez said. "[It's] like shopping in Publix. You're going with your cart and you take the food you need. It is very comfortable now that they changed the way."
Ramirez told Scott he's been coming to the pantry for six months.
"Every time I come it saves a lot of money for me," he said.
Shoppers can pick up to $120 worth of groceries.
"I mean, you can find vegetables, fruit, cans, meat," Ramirez said. "Really, I'm very grateful for St. Matthew's House and the people working here volunteering."
However, St. Matthew's House staff told Scott their new grocery store model goes beyond the kitchen table.
It's also meant to build relationships with the people they serve.
"We just don't want to focus on the numbers," Vazquez said. "We want to focus on the experience."
Part of that experience means taking advantage of employment help and menu planning.
Volunteers say around 300 people stop by for food every Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The address to the food pantry is 4535 Domestic Ave. in Naples.
