Sanford woman told to stop feeding homeless

SANFORD, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Cynthia Santos has been hosting monthly free dinners in her Sanford yard since Hurricane Irma hit. Between 75 and 150 people routinely show up.

“Neighbors come, the homeless come, business owners come, police come, the sheriff's department comes, everybody comes!” Santos said.

Her latest community meal was planned for Saturday afternoon, but she says a city code officer told her that was against the rules. “She said you can't give out free food, and give you give one free meal I'm going to have to ticket you,” she recalled.

Now the search is on to find somewhere else to hold the meals. Santos' garage is full of food, clothes, and other items they planned to give away at Saturday's dinner.

“Right now I'm just frustrated,” Santos said.

She says advice has been pouring in from supporters who want her dinners to continue. She'll be working around the clock to make that happen.