FISH of SANCAP helping to rebuild Sanibel/Captiva area after Ian

For more than 40 years, FISH of SANCAP served the Sanibel/Captiva community as any other charitable group would. But when Hurricane Ian turned life upside down at FISH headquarters and on those islands, the group adjusted to meet the community’s needs.

“We focus on the seniors to age in place and the workforce that comes out here every day and may need some assistance,” said Maria Espinosa, executive director of FISH at SANCAP.

Food supplies, toiletries, non-perishables—all of it was wiped out by Ian’s storm surge. FISH—with an acronym that stands for Food Programs; Island-Based; Social Services; and Helping Hands—couldn’t even access its building for a week, and it wasn’t habitable until December.

“We had about 6 feet [of water] in our building, which devastated all the content, everything inside,” Espinoza said. “This is something that you need; how can we get it out here?”

Instead, FISH of SANCAP worked out of parking lots and churches, even temporarily moving its office inland to Fort Myers. Instead of food, people needed tools and equipment, so that’s what FISH helped coordinate.

“Chainsaws, generators, dehumidifers, all sorts of things that will really help people rebuild and come back home,” Espinoza said.

Tom Cachey doesn’t know where he’d be without help from FISH and other local support groups. His family home on Sanibel was flooded by 7 feet of water and suffered wind damage.

“It’d be impossible, just impossible,” Cachey said. “It was just devastating to see how much destruction God could bring upon us.”

Cachey took advantage of a drywall giveaway that FISHof SANCAP hosted. It will still be about four months before he can even move back into his house, but it’s a step forward.

“Sanibel will be rebuilt,” Cachey said. “It will be just as beautiful and warm and welcoming as it was before.”

“Some of the challenges you might be facing, there’s a greater solution if you share it and we make sure that it is resolved,” Espinoza said.

If you’re in the Sanibel/Captiva area and in need of resources or assistance, visit the FISH of SANCAP website.