New home to help group better serve Lee

Interfaith Caregivers is working to better serve its customer base in Southwest Florida and a recent purchase is sure to help the cause.

The service-based organization that runs a food pantry for the area between Gladiolus Drive and Coconut Road recently closed on a new $317,000 commercial property in San Carlos Park.

"The new building is almost twice as big as the place we are in now," said Nancy Martin, the community outreach director, about the current Estero location. "It's a logical move for us because paying rent is not a good way to spend money."

The organization relies on community monies, pantry donations and volunteer hours to sustain the program that helped 916 people last month alone. That's 50 percent higher than a year and a half ago.

"We keep getting bigger and bigger and we have outgrown this location. Two-thirds of our clients are in San Carlos Park so it's a logical move," Martin said. "We will be more accessible and the building can be suited for what we need for our clients."

The new space has an open layout, which will accommodate the growing food pantry, expanding counseling services and a Florida Gulf Coast University nursing class that uses the facility now.

"It's about being closer to the people that we serve and offer more services with the extra space," said Becky Robbins-Penniman, board president of the organization.

"Hopefully, we can do it without falling over boxes like we do now."

Not that Robbins-Penniman is complaining. She'd prefer to trip over boxes than worry the client count climbing more than the community support.

"More room will permit us to within a year ... add social work intake services and partner with more agencies," said Robbins-Penniman, who is also an associate pastor at Lamb of God Church. "We really want this to be the kind of place where people will come get services or volunteer."

Volunteers are crucial to the operation because they also serve as a United Way house, run a Meals-on-Wheels program and even host classes to teach people the English language.

"It's not just a one-way street. We have a lot of clients who come back and help," said Robbins-Penniman about the 2,000 clients in their database. Some are one-time clients. "We want to be a community resource where neighbors help neighbors."

Interfaith Caregivers has plans to move into the new property on Rockefeller Circle in September depending on the permitting process.

"We will serve them more efficiently but one of the biggest reasons we are moving is fiscal responsibility," Martin said. "We don't want to throw away donation money."

A capital campaign will also be started in September to help pay down the new location.