Member News

FISH OF SANCAP, the islands only wrap-around social service agency provider, invites all to their Dec. 2 Festival Day, beginning with a 10K/5K Race and ending with their Sound+Waves Music Festival.

Runner registration is ongoing on the RunSignUp platform through Dec. 1 using the following link: runsignup.com/Race/FL/Sanibel/10K5KRace4FISH. Day of race registration will be accepted beginning at 6:30am at the Sanibel Community House, where the race will begin and end. FISH reminds participants that there is a toll of $6.00 to cross the bridge to Sanibel and that the bridge is under construction which may cause delays. Parking for the race is available at the following businesses: Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grill, The Timbers, The Sanibel Community House, Sanibel Public Library, Saint Michael and All Angels Church, Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ. FISH encourages those that have already signed up to pick up their race packets ahead of the event. Packet pickup is available at the following locations:
• Adventures in Paradise on Nov. 30 from 5:00-7:00pm. Adventures in Paradise is located in the Tahitian Plaza, 2019 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957
• Sanibel Recreation Center Dec. 1, 2023 from 8:00am to 11:00am. The Recreation Center is located at 3880 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel, FL 33957
• Fleet Feet Bell Tower Shops Dec. 1, 2023 from 1:00pm to 6:30pm. Fleet Feet Bell Tower is located at 13499 S. Cleveland Ave Unit 209 Fort Myers FL
• Packets can also be picked up at the race site on the morning of the run, Saturday, Dec. 2, starting at 6:30am to 7:15am
Immediately following the Dec. 2nd race, the Sanibel Recreation Center is holding a kids’ ‘Reindeer Run’ and family fun day from 10:00am-2:00pm at 3880 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel, FL 33957. Included is a hot cocoa bar, pizza/BBQ, pictures with Santa, a bounce house, face painting and more.
Finishing out Festival Day is the FISH Sound+Waves Music Festival at ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva, beginning at 5pm on Sat., Dec. 2. The concert will be performed on the beach followed by fireworks. Music artists will come together to offer a variety of acoustic performances for this unique event, featuring songs from their respective bands, familiar favorites and festive tunes. The event is ticketed and on sale now at https://FISHmusicfestival.rsvpify.com. The cost is $125/adult and $50 for ages 13-18. Ages 0-12 are free. Featured artists include Jessica Jones of the Jessica Jones Project; Joe Marcinek of George Porter Jr.; Will Montgomery of Arrested Development; Marcus White of Marcus King Band; Shane Platten of Melody Trucks Band; Will Neal of Fantasia Barrino; Rick Bennedetto of KC and the Sunshine Bank and Chris Sgammato of Displace.
Onsite parking for the music festival is available at “Tween Waters Resort & Spa is available on a limited basis. Overflow parking and bus transportation is available at Castaways Beach & Bay Cottages, 6460 Sanibel Captiva Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957 with a second location to be announced. Music Festival guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets. Food and beverage will be available for purchase.

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Updated poster

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FISH of Sanibel-Captiva has been a ‘neighbors helping neighbors’ organization on Sanibel and Captiva for over 40 years. As a social service organization, FISH has been ground zero, in recent years, from natural and environmental crises to the impacts of COVID and now, for catastrophic Hurricane Ian. FISH offers something for everyone—if there is not a service in place for unmet needs of community members, they work to meet it through their expansive regional network. In addition to their Long-Term Recovery program, FISH continues to offer programs representing their four major pillars – Food, Island Based Education, Social and Senior Services, and Helping Hands.

Although FISH has grown from the grassroots organization it started as, it still remains a network of ‘neighbors helping neighbors’; a group of community members committed to the betterment of the islands and southwest Florida community by assisting one neighbor at a time. FISH is proud to say that 92 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to programs and services including but not limited to:
• Long-Term disaster recovery
• Emergency financial assistance
• Food pantry
• Non-emergency transport
• Temporary loan of health equipment
• Hurricane preparedness information
• Daily hot meals program

More information about FISH is available online at fishofsancap.org, as well as Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). For details about hurricane recovery and other services, contact Maria Espinoza, FISH Executive Director, at (239) 472-4775.

United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades partnered with the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools to thank teachers for their dedication and service by gifting furniture and mattresses heading into the holiday season.

Held Nov. 21 at United Way’s warehouse in south Lee County, the gratitude giveaway included 475 items provided by United Way’s generous corporate supporters. Teachers could choose between queen-size Tempur-Pedic mattresses, accent cabinets, accent chests, dining tables, drum tables, and live edge sofa, end and cocktail tables. Furniture was available in a variety of deluxe finishes, including antique, blanc, walnut, ash, cedar and sea drift.

“It was a nice surprise to pop up and see that somebody wanted to do something sweet for teachers, especially right before the holidays,” said Marianne Hodges, a fourth-grade teacher at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts. “I really appreciate everybody thinking of us and being so generous.”

United Way coordinated the gratitude giveaway through the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. Within an hour of distributing a notice about the event, all furniture and mattresses had been claimed.

“The need is out there for everyone, and teachers continuously go into their own pockets to buy school supplies, shoes and clothing for their students that are in need because they want to help,” said Hannah Pelle, United Way’s chief operating officer. “It’s nice that we can give back to the teachers.”

Many of United Way’s partner agencies focus on education and youth, and the organization itself supports three Community Partnership Schools in Lee County that address barriers to success, including hunger, poverty, lack of access to adequate health care and lack of educational support. United Way also supports the School Resource Center that provides clothing, hygiene essentials and school supplies to children in need through The School District of Lee County.

After Hurricane Ian, United Way hosted multiple food and supply distribution events in partnership with the District. The gratitude giveaway was another initiative to show teachers they are appreciated and valued.

“We need to give thanks to our teachers all year long,” said Marshall Bower, president and CEO of the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. “It is so important to tell our teachers thank you.”

About United Way
In addition to raising funds for human service organizations in our community, United Way promotes partnerships and collaborations among agencies, helping them to work together focusing on issues that continue to improve lives. United Way’s mission as a volunteer-driven organization is dedication to improving the quality of life for all people in our community. United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades was established in 1957 and over $210 million has been raised and distributed since that time. For more information, please call 239-433-2000 or visit UnitedWayLee.org.

An anonymous donor has stepped up to match up to $25,000 in donations in honor of Giving Tuesday and is challenging the community to give in support of Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children.

The anonymous donor was inspired by the annual day of generosity that falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Giving Tuesday inspires hundreds of millions of people across the world to complete an act of kindness during the season of giving, no matter how big or small. This year, the anonymous donor wants to give back to the local community and help families who may be struggling this holiday season.

Better Together helps parents who are going through a hard time to keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. Established in Southwest Florida eight years ago, the nonprofit’s programming has rapidly expanded to reach families in 24 counties across the state in regions including Southwest Florida, Sarasota/Manatee, greater Tampa Bay, Ocala, Northeast Florida and Central East Florida. To date, the organization has served over 9,000 children and kept 98% of families served through hosting and mentorship together, while helping 42,000 job seekers across 22 states find employment.

“We’re honored to have someone who believes so strongly in our mission to step up with this $25,000 match to help double the impact of the community’s generosity this Giving Tuesday,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “The holidays can be a challenging time for a lot of families and with your contribution, we can help them find the root cause of their struggles and provide them with the support they need.”

Every donation, no matter its size, has impact:
• $25 provides a child with a Hope Pack
• $100 buys essentials for four children
• $250 covers the cost of the home study and background screening of a host family
• $1,300 keeps one child out of foster care

To learn more about Better Together, its programs and ways to donate, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.

The December Gallery features small works by AFTA Members for under $200

Arts & Ends Holiday Sale features crafts and art by local creatives

FORT MYERS, FL (Nov 15, 2023)– The Alliance for the Arts (AFTA) will kick off the month of December with the Annual Members-Only gallery exhibition, Small Works Off the Walls. The opening reception will be Thursday, November 30, from 5-7 pm, and the exhibition will be on view until December 30. The free event features the works of AFTA Members as well as light refreshments provided by Jayne Baker. 

Small Works Off the Walls features original artwork in a variety of mediums created by members of AFTA, all priced at $200 or less. All sales are “cash and carry,” making this exhibition different each day that it is on view.

Another annual tradition takes place on Saturday, December 2, from 9 am-1pm, when AFTA presents the Arts & Ends Holiday Sale on the GreenMarket grounds, featuring local crafters and artists selling homemade items from ceramics to custom spice blends. Participating vendors include Anne Schroeder, Earth Girl Magic Gifts, Eunique McKnight, Fort Myers Beach Art Association, Kathryn Reid, Kelly Morrison, Kinga Labedzki, Lehigh Acres Art League, Margot Elmore, Minna Maillakakis, Monica Shintani, The Mossy Cottage, Nicky Bender, Ocean Blooms, Painting with Eunique, Pat Hart, Paula Arts, Rabbit Paws Art, Rose Jung, and Trippy Shells.

Also on view in December:

Theatre Lobby Gallery: Martha Cantu

Martha Cantu is a portrait artist based in Immokalee, Florida. She is well-known for her work on the new welcome sign of Immokalee, which features her painting “Field of Dreams.” 

Member Gallery: The Students of Marilyn Hedlund 

In Fine Arts Acrylics classes taught by Marilyn Hedlund on Monday and Wednesday mornings, students are encouraged to loosen up and enjoy the painting process as much as possible.  They are taught the basic principles of seeing and making art as originally taught at The Alliance starting in the 1990’s by artist Gail Bennett in his impressionist and abstract styles.  However, students of any style or experience will benefit from these classes as works are critiqued with the goal of learning basic elements in art of: form, composition, color, value, and size.

About Alliance for the Arts

The Alliance for the Arts (AFTA) is a nonprofit community visual and performing arts center located in the heart of Fort Myers, Florida. Since 1975, the Alliance has been committed to transforming lives and improving community through the arts. The Alliance campus and galleries are open to the public from 9am to 7pm Tuesday through Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. AFTA is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. For more information, please call 239-939-2787, visit us at www.ArtInLee.org, or find us on Facebook and Instagram.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2023) – The Southwest Florida Symphony, the only professional orchestra in Lee County and fourth oldest orchestra in the state, is excited to announce tickets are available for its annual Holiday Pops. This year’s theme, “Santa’s Serenade,” will feature the return of beloved guest artist Maestro Andrew Lipke with his guitar, piano skills, conductor’s baton, songwriting prowess and ugly sweater collection to delight the community he calls “his home away from home.”

            Under Lipke’s direction, the orchestra will take audiences on an unforgettable journey through a host of various classic holiday songs in search of what makes them so timeless. Along the way, patrons will be invited to join in as the symphony explores an instrumental mash-up of traditional themes blended with holiday favorites featuring brand new lyrics.

Concerts will be held at:

• Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.: Fort Myers Senior High School
• Dec. 10 at 4 p.m.: First Presbyterian Church, Bonita Springs
• Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.: The Village Church at Shell Point, Fort Myers

The Southwest Florida Symphony is excited to be joined by Andrew Lipke, a Philadelphia-based multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer, for these performances. Lipke, who was born in South Africa and attended The University of The Arts, is a critically acclaimed and sought-after arranger, producer, composer, performer and educator. He has performed as a vocalist with several prominent American orchestras, including the Indianapolis Symphony, North Carolina Symphony and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, in addition to touring the country with the critically acclaimed Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out. He has produced dozens of records for local and regional artists and released five solo albums.

To purchase tickets or learn more, visit swflso.org/tickets/.

The Southwest Florida Symphony made its debut as a community orchestra on April 15, 1961, playing in schools and community centers, with a roster of only 24 volunteer musicians. Today, the symphony boasts a roster of 70 world-class professional musicians and is Lee County’s only fully professional orchestra and fourth oldest in the state. The Southwest Florida Symphony’s 63rd year continues the orchestra’s tradition of artistic excellence and innovation as Music Director Maestro Radu Paponiu leads another season of spectacular performances. Maestro Paponiu, the sixth music director in the organization’s history, also serves as the associate conductor and youth orchestra director for the Naples Philharmonic in addition to guest-conducting with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe.

For more information about the Southwest Florida Symphony, upcoming season performances and subscription and ticketing information, visit swflso.org or call 239-418-1500.

Helping families get disability services after aging out of school

Fort Myers, FL – Goodwill looks for gaps in available services, and meets those needs to help people in Southwest Florida move forward. Recently, a huge gap in services was realized while helping young adults with disabilities as they aged out of the school system. It’s called Disability Navigation, or knowing how to navigate the disabilities services system in Florida.

“Pathways to Opportunity was receiving weekly phone calls from parents stating their child was going to be aging out of the school district and wanted them to start (PTO) the following week,” explains Jessica Tursi, Goodwill SWFL’s Director of Disability Services. “When asked if the family had Medicaid Waiver/APD funding they didn’t know what that was. We eventually started helping families who were interested in signing up, which then led us to wonder how many families were out there that needed help obtaining services, that didn’t know about us.” 

The Medicaid Waiver Waitlist or Florida Developmental Disabilities Individual Budgeting Waiver is a complicated application for state-funded life skills development adult day training, prevocational services, residential habilitation, respite, and many more services for individuals with developmental disabilities. There is a waitlist for services in Florida, so the earlier a person can get on the waitlist, the better the chances of receiving services when the school can no longer provide them.

“I was helping families through PTO and giving them my tips over the phone, which led me to create a packet for families,” explains Tursi. “The topic of discussion in almost all the boards I sit on seemed to always be about how to help families transition out of High School. I started sharing the packet to the boards, and they started sharing it to other contacts.”

Since officially starting Disability Navigation services in January of 2023, Goodwill (through Pathways to Opportunity) has served 27 families across Florida, and distributed packets to countless others. 

“Based on the feedback and demand for presentations of Disability Navigation Services, I would say the need is monumental,” says Tursi. “Families often don’t know what is available to them, which can cause health and safety risks. Our goal is that families understand what their options are, and know that there are organizations here to help.” 

Many families have no idea how to get started with the application process, and those who apply may not fill out the form correctly and get extensively delayed when the application comes back through the system for corrections.

Tursi shared, “Several families have said that they hear advice from others that may not be true, which delays the process even further. I have also encountered families that thought they were on the waitlist for years but never actually turned in a completed application.”

“The ability to have access to critical services for individuals with IDD is so important to live happy healthy lives,” explains Tursi, “but, also for the community to see individuals as members of their community and not outliers.” 

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida also provides community disability education sessions helping families plan for their future. For more information about Goodwill Disability Navigation, contact Jessica Tursi at (239) 995-2106 Ext. 2301.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. For information on how Goodwill SWFL positively impacts the community, visit www.Goodwillswfl.org

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On Saturday, November 18, more than 650 Harlem Heights residents gathered at The Heights Center for a Community Celebration of Thanks hosted by The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center.  Residents enjoyed a meal from Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon, along with fellowship, games, and entertainment by kids from The Heights Center programs.   Families were given a turkey and Publix gift card so they could prepare a meal together in their homes on Thanksgiving.

This is the second year The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center has hosted the event.  Last year, many families in the community were without kitchens after the devastation of Hurricane Ian.

Photos by Kinfay Moroti/hopeful images

Photos:

Children from The Heights Center’s programs entertained their family and friends 

Families relaxed and enjoyed a meal and fellowship with neighbors

Harlem Heights residents received Publix gift cards and a turkey to prepare

their Thanksgiving meal in their homes

Kathryn Kelly, CEO of The Heights Foundation/The Heights Center

Kids enjoyed face painting, games, and entertainment

More than 650 Harlem Heights residents enjoyed a meal together at The Heights Center

Volunteers serve Harlem Heights residents

Volunteers served a meal from Bubba’s Roadhouse to Harlem Heights residents