A groundbreaking in Fort Myers in January led to an open house ten months later.
“This location is so wonderful because we have a partner like Next Level Church and Lee Health Clinic,” said St. Matthew’s House CEO Steve Brooder. “We’re on a bus route. We’re close to medical services.”
It’s the first shelter in Lee County run by St. Matthew’s House.
“We don’t have a lot of beds in Lee County, so this is really important to get this shelter opened,” Brooder told FOX 4 Community Correspondent Victoria Scott.
You can watch Victoria’s full report here:
St. Matthew’s House hosts open house for Lee County shelter
The Lee County Homeless Coalition estimates close to 2,800 are homeless in Lee County every year. Sadly, some of them are new to the experience.
“We see a lot of first-time homelessness with the cost going up about 20, 25% in the last few years,” Brooder said. “People are just finding it difficult to make ends meet.”
That’s why St. Matthew’s House said a shelter for women and children was so important.