Soup Kitchen Battles Florida City For Right To Operate

Yesterday’s Fort Myers (Florida) News-Press reported that in Fort Myers Beach last week, city officials and a soup kitchen called God’s Table came closer to going to court. Residents of the Florida town claim that God’s Table, which gives food, clothing, showers and some health care to the Beach’s homeless, is responsible for the growing problems of drinking, littering, public urination and sleeping under homes by street people. God’s Table says that the transient problem has existed for decades, and would be much worse if it did not exist. The city claims that God’s Table is in violation of zoning laws, but the soup kitchen says that as a religious group its activities are protected by the First Amendment and by Florida’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The two sides plan to continue meeting to try to find solutions.