FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFTX) - Local churches and counties stepping up to help those in dire need of the essentials - food and water after Hurricane Ian ravaged our community.
“You’re just seeing the best part of people right now,” said Pastor Russ Hurst of First Assembly of God.
“I still have about a third of the people that I know that go to my church that I can’t hear from that live on the water. So, I’m concerned about them.”
While those concerns may be on Hurst’s mind, he and plenty of others are trying to help their members of the flock and much more following the devastation of Hurricane Ian.
“The biggest issues right now is water, food obviously,” Hurst said. “Whether they’re poor, whether they’re rich, everybody’s on the same playing field right now.”
Hurst says they’ll be working with Convoy of Hope at their church and branching out into the community to give that much-needed food and water.
“It was very traumatizing and stuff like no water, no light,” said Felix Guzman, who received food and water from First Assembly on Saturday.
Some of those like Guzman are eternally grateful for the support, especially after their first hurricane.
“It really helped a lot because everything is low,” Guzman said. “I don’t even wish this not even on my worst enemy like how bad it was.”
“It’s beyond words that somebody is helping people the way they do,” Gary Dietz, who also picked up food and water, said.
20 minutes up the road, members of the U.S. Army National Guard of the 715th Military Police from Melbourne, FL handed out boxes of meals ready to eat and cases of water at a Lee County distribution site at the North Fort Myers Park & Recreation Center.
It’s the support that some have seen in the past after these storms strike.
“We were up in Punta Gorda the last time. And it’s the next day that the National Guard set up, started give water and food. Gosh, I can’t even remember how much they gave,” said Harry Dyke, a North Fort Myers Resident.
In the face of complete devastation, sometimes even the simplest things are the most cherished things.
“But really is about hope. People are finding faith, wanting prayer. It’s more than just feeding their bodies. It’s also about feeding the spirits and their souls,” Hurst said.
Starting Saturday, Lee County opened eight food and water distribution locations at this time. A county spokesperson information on additional sites would become available once they’re mobilized and opened pending supplies. The hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
They’re at the following locations:
- Old Bonita Library, 26876 Pine Ave., Bonita Springs
- Kelly Road Soccer Complex, 10750 Kelly Road, Fort Myers
- Cape Coral Sports Complex, 1410 Sports Blvd., Cape Coral
- Cape Coral Leonard Street, 4820 Leonard St., Cape Coral
- Estero High School Ballfield Park, 9100 Williams Road, Estero
- North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers
- Fleamasters Fleamarket, 4135 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers
- Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road S., Lehigh Acres
Charlotte county has two locations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The locations are:
• Muscle Car City Museum, 10175 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda
• Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Rd., Port Charlotte
Collier County will also have hot meals courtesy of Meals of Hope will also be at East River Park and North Collier Regional Park from 4 p.m. until they run out.
