FISH OF SANCAP Ribbon Cutting

FISH OF SANCAP invites the community to a ribbon cutting for their recently purchased ancillary building located at 2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The celebratory event will take place on Thurs., Nov. 16 beginning at 12:00pm. Light refreshments, provided by Catering by Leslie Adams, will be served. Parking is available at the FISH Walk-In Center building next door at 2430 Periwinkle Way.

FISH purchased and refurbished the building next door to their Walk-In Center location, formerly “Gene’s Books”, to create a one-stop shop serving local families. The organization is in the final stages of relocating their food pantry program to the space, as well as staff offices. FISH notes special thanks to The American Red Cross who, through a grant award, helped offset the cost of the building; Genesis, who helped ready the space for use; and the City of Sanibel for expediting the permit and occupancy process. Eventually, FISH will create a welcoming setting to house programs that address immediate and long-term needs.

Maggi Feiner, President & CEO states, “Our existing building (2430 Periwinkle) was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian and requires a long-term rebuild. As we begin the rebuilding process, we have shifted operations to the former Gene’s Book building and continue to remain fully operational to serve our island community. It’s extremely important to us to maintain a consistent island presence to better serve our community, as we’ve done for over 40 years.”

As FISH assists island residents and workers still struggling since Ian, the agency sees the need to grow to meet the needs of long-term recovery. Through collaboration and hard work, FISH is helping the community rebuild and recover. FISH provides long-term services for survivors who live or work on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. For requests beyond what FISH can provide, the agency connects with others to provide disaster case management and alternate funding options.

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.