FMB Strong Executive Director Heidi Jungwirth announced on Beach Talk Radio Sunday that the organization which is located at 820 Buttonwood near the base of the Matanzas Pass Bridge will be closing its food pantry as of September 10th.
Since Hurricane Ian, three years ago, the pantry has served as a vital lifeline to many residents of the Fort Myers Beach community. Jungwirth saiud, “We are deeply grateful to our staff, the volunteers, donors, and community members who made this work possible.”
FMB Strong will continue to serve as a designated Red Cross relief center in the event of hurricanes or other emergencies. In addition to emergency services, they will continue to host community events that like the popular Mrs. Roper Caftan Crawl fundraiser. FMB Strong will also be participating in the FMB Woman’s Club Christmas Tree Festival and Put & Pub event, in addition to being the Sanibel Captiva Community Bank parking lot host for the FMB Chamber’s American Sand Sculpting Championship.
Jungwirth added, “We may be closing the pantry, but we’re not going anywhere. Our mission has always been about resilience, connection, and care—and that mission continues.”
Reach out to Heidi by phone at 802-239-1962 or e-mail heidi@fmbstrong.org
Watch Heidi make the announcement on Beach Talk Radio Sunday HERE.
And thank you for being a place we could send things or money to in order to help from afar, when there was nothing else we could do.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill “’Never in the recovery of FMB disasters have so much been owed by so many to so few’”. In the weeks and months after hurricane Ian devastated Fort Myers Beach the Buttonwood volunteers led by Heidi and her core group put in incalculable hours committed to providing relief to those in need, a comforting ear to those overcome by despair, and exhausting physical exertion unloading trucks, stocking shelves and distributing supplies to those in need. Not to be overlooked is the speed and generosity of Tim Ryan and Dan Allers in turning their business facility into a centralized distribution center for islanders seeking relief. During a time of chaos and desperation Buttonwood was literally a lifesaving beacon of hope and the source for necessities. Buttonwood is a role-model for the true representation of “community”; a commitment to rebuilding lost homes, restoring hope for its residents and limitless compassion, understanding and acceptance of the diverse needs of their neighbors. Let’s hope the standard for “community” Buttonwood establish lives long after the facility doors close.
Thank you, thank you, thank you !!
Thank you for being a caring, kind, generous port in the storm. All your hard work has been much appreciated. Grateful for all you have done and continue to do for so many. Thank you.
Thank you for being there for so many people in need. You made a huge difference. God bless…