St. Matthew’s House breaks ground on new shelter

Reporter: Asha Patel Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
St. Matthew's House
St. Matthew’s House breaks ground on new shelter in Fort Myers. CREDIT: WINK News

A significant milestone and a groundbreaking for St. Matthew’s House, a place meant to serve and protect the women and children of Southwest Florida.

On Tuesday, St. Matthew’s House broke ground on their new Fort Myers Women and Children’s shelter.

St. Matthews House is leasing an 8,000-foot facility from a Next Level Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to shelter women and children.

“There is a tremendous need,” said Steve Brooder, CEO of St. Matthew’s House. “The homeless coalition reported just recently there are 165 women living in their cars in Lee County. That’s what we know of.”

The Fort Myers Women and Children’s Shelter will provide 11 private family dorms and 28 beds for women and children. The shelter is expected to serve nearly 300 residents annually.

“We needed the shelter for women and children exclusively for women and children in the city for a long time. We are really excited to be a part of it. A lot of great partners came together to make it happen. We’ll have the facility open this summer, hopefully. We are really excited,” Brooder said.

The goal is to make the women and children staying here feel at home. Shower, laundry services, a central kitchen, a playroom and staff offices will all be included.

“I’ve been talking to the people that have gathered here today. There is a tremendous need to turn people away from the empowerment center. There isn’t enough services and facilities to serve the need,” Brooder said.

This new shelter in Fort Myers will serve single women, senior women and women with children who are experiencing homelessness.

This project is expected to be completed by this summer, and client services will begin shortly after.

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