While working full-time on Sanibel, a single woman suddenly faced a dental emergency that threw her finances off course. An unplanned oral surgery, post-surgery complications and lost wages from missed work quickly spiraled into late rent, overdue utilities, and car payments she couldn’t cover. “I had just enough to pay my electric bill, but that was it,” she recalled. “I was embarrassed to ask for help.” She cut expenses to the bare minimum, picked up every shift possible, and even sold belongings online, but the bills kept piling up. FISH stepped in through the Helping Hands Rent Assistance program, funded by The Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation, and covered her rent. This gave her the space she needed to get back on her feet. “FISH is an incredible nonprofit,” she said. “They’ve helped me twice — once for a continuing education opportunity and now by helping me catch up on bills. The rent payment gave me the space to get back on track. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them.” Nitza Lopez, FISH Social Services Director, said: “When a medical issue happens, it doesn’t just hurt your health — it shakes everything else too. Helping with her rent meant she didn’t have to choose between healing and keeping her home.”

She now feels more financially secure and is finishing her continuing education, which she hopes will lead to greater employment stability.

To learn more about the programs of FISH or to support their mission, please contact Maria Espinoza, Executive Director.

 

About FISH:

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 more than 85% 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 and Instagram. For details about hurricane recovery and other services, contact Maria Espinoza, FISH Executive Director, at (239) 472-4775.