Families picking up bags of food at the Cape Coral United Way House got a surprise Tuesday — hot pizza and bread sticks.

 

Two Little Caesars Pizza stores in Cape Coral gave out their first pizzas as part of a new Monday through Friday donation plan for the community.

 

Ame Rettig, manager of JAMA Food Services, Inc., a franchise that owns a total of four Little Caesars, including one in Lehigh Acres and one opening soon in San Carlos Park, decided to donate pizza and extra food after reading stories in The News-Press about the hunger crisis in Lee County.

 

“The Good Samaritan Law changed everything,” she said.

 

Before she read the Summer of Hunger series that described an unprecedented need for food for children and their parents, she didn’t know caterers and restaurants could donate food and be protected by Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act if someone becomes sick by or has an adverse reaction to the donation.

 

Little Caesars had been routinely throwing out food because it was considered wasted after 30 minutes, Rettig said.

 

 

Once she understood the law, she helped organize the donations with Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc., which oversees the Soup Kitchen in Fort Myers, Meals on Wheels and Cape Coral United Way House.

 

“I’m ex-cited,” Rettig said. “This is for the community.”

 

Lehigh Acres residents also will get free pizza donated to them this week.

 

JAMA will donate unsold pizza Monday through Friday to Lehigh Community Services and to the soup kitchen at The Methodist Church, which serves lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.

 

The program is expected to begin this week.

 

Out-of-work Cape Coral resident Jason Crok, 52, was one of a handful of people who stopped by for pizza.

 

His wife and one of his three children who stayed home from school because he was not feeling well enjoyed an extra special lunch.

 

“He’s missing his school lunch,” Crok said. “He has breakfast and lunch at school, that gives us extra for food at home.”

 

 

 

When he misses breakfast or lunch at school, the toll weighs on the financially-strapped family.

 

With the school year almost over, Crok said it will be a struggle to put food on the table.

 

Crok plans to dine at the United Way at least three times a week, he said.

 

Cape resident Toni Ferratti also dined on pizza Tuesday and plans to return when necessary.

 

“It means a lot to me,” Ferratti said. “I have two kids and I need a lot of help. It helps me out financially. Sometimes, I can afford food, but sometimes I need help.”

 

The pizza is available for anyone who needs it, said Debbie Almeida, spokeswoman for Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. She expects more people will come to get pizza once the word gets out. Many of the families who ate pizza Tuesday took pies home.

 

“The public is welcome every day between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.,” she said. “We’re right next to City Hall and everyone is welcome. No one has to sign in or show identification. We do have caseworkers available if people need help.”

 

The goal is to help feed a community that is stretched thin, she said.

 

“We’re hoping others will step up as well,” she said. “This is the community taking responsibility and saying they can help. It’s wonderful to see it happen.”