Leaders of the Wildwood Soup Kitchen said they were given two options by the church they’ve operated out of for decades: reduce space and time while paying more, or evict the fellowship hall and find a new space.Barbara McManus, president of the board of directors for the Wildwood Soup Kitchen, said she and other leaders have known they’ve been outgrowing the space, but the news still came as a shock when they received the letter on Oct. 16.”We received a letter from our landlord saying we are to leave by the end of the year or we would have a higher rent and we would have to limit the amount of time we have in this building,” she said.”We’re at the point where we have to leave this location.”The First Presbyterian Church of Wildwood declined to comment when reached by WESH 2.McManus said they’ve already raised $100,000, but the building they have their sights set on will cost $1.5 million outright. They’ll need to be out of the space by the end of December.She said they’re working on obtaining grant funding, but any dollars collected will ease the burden.”I was hoping we could stay maybe through January, February, so we have more time,” McManus said.”Dec. 31 is right after the holidays, and we serve so many people. It’s cold at that time of the year, and we want to make sure we get meals out to people.”The Wildwood Soup Kitchen serves approximately 17,000 meals per month to around one thousand residents of Sumter County, many of whom are homebound seniors.”It’s a well-oiled machine,” said Gregory Nicoletti, another member of the board.”This is God’s ministry, and everything’s possible with him.”If you’d like to donate, you can do so on the Wildwood Soup Kitchen website.

WILDWOOD, Fla. —

Leaders of the Wildwood Soup Kitchen said they were given two options by the church they’ve operated out of for decades: reduce space and time while paying more, or evict the fellowship hall and find a new space.

Barbara McManus, president of the board of directors for the Wildwood Soup Kitchen, said she and other leaders have known they’ve been outgrowing the space, but the news still came as a shock when they received the letter on Oct. 16.

“We received a letter from our landlord saying we are to leave by the end of the year or we would have a higher rent and we would have to limit the amount of time we have in this building,” she said.

“We’re at the point where we have to leave this location.”

The First Presbyterian Church of Wildwood declined to comment when reached by WESH 2.

McManus said they’ve already raised $100,000, but the building they have their sights set on will cost $1.5 million outright. They’ll need to be out of the space by the end of December.

She said they’re working on obtaining grant funding, but any dollars collected will ease the burden.

“I was hoping we could stay maybe through January, February, so we have more time,” McManus said.

“Dec. 31 is right after the holidays, and we serve so many people. It’s cold at that time of the year, and we want to make sure we get meals out to people.”

The Wildwood Soup Kitchen serves approximately 17,000 meals per month to around one thousand residents of Sumter County, many of whom are homebound seniors.

“It’s a well-oiled machine,” said Gregory Nicoletti, another member of the board.

“This is God’s ministry, and everything’s possible with him.”

If you’d like to donate, you can do so on the Wildwood Soup Kitchen website.