OKEECHOBEE — If you travel past the United Methodist Church regularly, you may have noticed something missing. Big Lake Mission Outreach has been using the grounds and picnic tables of the church as their meal site for many years. Bruce and Mary Anne Swinford have been feeding the homeless and underserved of Okeechobee for the last 29 years. Most weekdays you can find the Swinfords and some loyal volunteers gathered under a huge tarp as they dish out that day’s goodies to 20, 25, 30 or more people.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian completely destroyed the tarp and the poles used to support it. According to Mr. Swinford, it will cost approximately $500 to replace it. There are cheaper options available, but when they have purchased those in the past, they did not last as long.

If you would like to help with replacing the tarp/canopy/shelter, please call 863-697-6433 or stop by the meal site at lunch time to see what they do each day.