Major Ethan Frizzell
There are a lot of people in East Lee County who are struggling. Some are homeless and others are trying to get out of violent situations at home.
The problem is that for some in the easternmost part of the county, it’s a nearly 30-mile trip to the nearest Salvation Army location (downtown Fort Myers) to get the help they need.
Recently, at the 24th annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala, the Chamber and the Salvation Army announced a partnership, along with the generosity of the Kiwanis Club, to build a place for people to go in the area for help.
The Chamber celebrated the Salvation Army’s East Lee County Respite Hub (or Hope Hub) for vulnerable persons, where the old Kiwanis building property was, which was sold to the county.
Michael Welch, CEO of the Chamber chapter, said most of the services these people need are too far for many to get there.
Major Ethan Frizzell
“It’s a significant move with us and the Lee County government and the people you’ll be seeing, when you bring them together, good things can happen instead of complaining,” Welch said.
There is a very large homeless population in East Lee. The very chilly weather we had this winter, with several freezes, has brought that situation into the spotlight.
Welch said he has seen elderly people clustered around a banyan tree off Homestead Road huddled around for warmth.
“That kind of thing cannot happen. East Lee tends to be the first to enter a major crisis and the last to leave it,” Welch said. “Now we have something that can be managed by the Salvation Army governed in East Lee toward the people who need the help.”
The facility would be open 24/7/365 and will have assessment rooms, a cafeteria (Sally’s Café), laundry facilities, showers, a pantry and a small village of small homes for those fleeing domestic violence.
Michael Welch
“We want a place that is safe and a beacon for not just Lehigh, but all of East Lee and even parts of Hendry and Collier,” Welch said. “This would be the first of its kind in Florida.”
Major Ethan Frizzell of the Salvation Army said Hurricane Ian taught them they needed to be resilient.
“You take that with the growth of the area and you realize it’s too far to drive to Fort Myers for assistance. We look forward to this new location to provide the same quality of services that people have gotten used to for 75 years,” Frizzell said.
There are many families in precarious positions on the verge of losing housing and food insecurity. The last thing they want to do is start over. Frizzell said that’s where the Salvation Army can help.
“That little bit of assistance can help those single mothers or families that lost a job stay housed,” Frizzell said. “We’ve seen an increase in aged people because some of the mobile home parks didn’t come back or the rents went up.”
The Kiwanis Club of Lehigh Acres held a piece of property on Homestead Road for nearly 60 years, where its store was located. When it merged with another Kiwanis, it decided to sell the land.
The idea was for the county to buy the land and to hand it over to the Salvation Army. With the help of both hospital systems and the community, the Hope Hub started to take shape.
“We see you. We see what’s going on in East Lee County. Many times what we see is an emergency,” Welch said during a presentation of the Legacy Award to the Kiwanis. “We dreamed about a hub, a beacon for those who really need warmth and love. People living in cardboard boxes, that isn’t America.”
Damon Shelor, president of the Kiwanis of Lehigh Acres, said the goal of the Kiwanis is to improve the world one child at a time. It’s all about the community and youth and leaving a legacy.
“We wanted a services group to be on that property to provide services we attempted to do. When the Salvation Army came into play, it was a heaven-sent thing,” Shelor said. “We turned down some offers to make this happen, and we’re taking the proceeds to start the Lee County Enrichment Fund.”