Food centers open and closed
Lee County is closing the remaining food and water Points of Distribution (PODs) as water and power are restored, businesses reopen, and nonprofits reopen, making additional food and meals available.
The county will close PODS at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the following locations:
- Old Bonita Library, 26876 Pine Ave, Bonita Springs
- 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
- PODs for food and water are typically established for five to seven days immediately following a disaster, such as a hurricane, to provide needed support to residents as stores and utilities are widely unavailable. Food and water PODs first opened in Lee County Oct. 1.
The county will continue to work with its state and federal partners as well as its strong network of nonprofit organizations in our island communities to provide continued food and water supplies for residents as follows:
- Fort Myers Beach – adjacent to Town Hall, 2525 Estero Blvd.
- Pine Island – Beacon of Hope Church, 5090 Doug Taylor Cir, St James City
- Sanibel Elementary School, 3840 Sanibel Captiva Road, Sanibel
- Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel
Residents are encouraged to contact United Way at 2-1-1 or 239-433-3900 to be connected with resources. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Check www.leegov.com/storm for a list of food and water resources or follow @Lee County Government on Facebook, www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc.
Hospitals and medical offices
Visiting hours resume at most Lee Health hospitals today.
Visitation will resume at HealthPark Medical Center, Cape Coral Hospital, Golisano Children’s Hospital and Gulf Coast Medical Center.
Because of elevator damage at Lee Memorial Hospital, visitation will remain restricted to compassionate care cases only for at least another week.
Most Lee Physician Group and community-based care locations are open. However, the following locations are closed until further notice:
· Lee Health Sanibel Primary/Walk-In Care (seeing patients at LPG Family/Internal Medicine - Bass Road)
· Lee Community Healthcare Inc. - Dunbar (seeing patients at the Outpatient Center at the Sanctuary)
· LPG Family Medicine - Lee Memorial Hospital (seeing patients at LPG Family/Internal Medicine - College Pointe)
· Lee Community Healthcare OB/GYN - E Fort Myers
· SWFL Children’s Charities Eye Center of Golisano Children’s Hospital
· LPG Pediatrics - Caring Way (seeing patients at LPG Pediatrics - Harbor Boulevard.)
Updates will be at www.leehealth.org as more information becomes available.
Blood Center at Summerlin Crossing is also opening today, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Anyone who can donate blood is encouraged to do so.
The Cape Coral Hospital and Bonita Community Health Center Blood Centers reopened last week.
Red Cross is here
Red Cross shelters and Disaster Aid Stations remain open where people can either stay or get food, relief supplies and other assistance. Disaster Aid Stations are a location for the community to receive hot meals, meal kits, water, snacks, and individual disaster care. Sites are also equipped with Starlink, which provides free Wi-Fi within the general area. The list of Disaster Aid Station sites changes daily and is updated on the South Florida Red Cross Facebook page or check the site list here: https://www.facebook.com/SFLRedCross/posts/pfbid02ku3WzkkJkLs6aZ2wva2QdBXgJs81cXi9WEAzhDgbh2SvCtXLszJR9wgnCtLVBWzJl
Trained volunteers are also providing health and mental health support to families. This includes help coping with new challenges, managing medical conditions, caring for wounds or injuries, and replacing prescription medications or other critical medical equipment like canes and wheelchairs.
For more information and to request assistance, go to: RedCross.org
You can find information there about how the Red Cross is helping and how to find open shelters. For more information, call 1-800-RED CROSS.
Alliance for the Arts volunteer day
The Alliance for the Arts is looking for volunteers to help with a Community Cleanup for its Fort Myers campus on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to drop in anytime during those hours. Tasks involve tree debris pickup, sweeping of pathways, helping to move Alliance sculptures, and more.
The Alliance for the Arts will provide:
- Gloves
- Masks
- Water
- Trashbags
Can you bring?
- Chainsaws
- Rakes
- Shovels
- Brooms
- Garden shears
- Wheelbarrows
The Alliance is at 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-939-2787.
To volunteer, sign up at https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/844704961257584064/false#/invitation