NAPLES, Florida – St. Matthew’s House in Naples recently introduced a new way for people to get food.

“People who come to the food bank are not in the best mood,” says Manny Vazquez, Community Impact Coordinator at St. Matthew’s House. “They don’t want to be there. So we try to change the whole experience for them.”

St. Matthew’s House introduced a model in May that allows people to choose their own food.

Shoppers like Jose Ramirez told FOX 4’s Victoria Scott it makes them feel good.

You can watch Victoria’s full report here:

St. Matthew’s House has a new grocery store-style pantry

“Today it’s more convenient to take a shopping cart and go shopping,” Ramirez said. “It’s like shopping at Publix. You go with your cart and grab the groceries you need. It’s very convenient now since they changed the way.”

Victoria Scott

Ramirez told Scott that he has been coming to the pantry for six months.

“Every time I come, I save a lot of money,” he said.

Shoppers can purchase up to $120 worth of groceries.

Victoria Scott

“I mean, you can find vegetables, fruits, canned goods and meat there,” Ramirez said. “I’m really thankful for St. Matthew’s House and the people who volunteer here.”

However, St. Matthew’s House staff explained to Scott that their new grocery store model goes beyond the kitchen table.

It is also about building relationships with the people they serve.

“We don’t want to focus on the numbers,” Vazquez said. “We want to focus on the experience.”

This experience also includes getting help with job searches and menu planning.

Volunteers say about 300 people stop by for food every Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The address of the food distribution is 4535 Domestic Ave. in Naples.