Salvation Army may open new office in Lehigh in February
Bob Poff
Bob Poff, director of social services for the Salvation Army in Fort Myers, told a local group that the agency is coming to Lehigh Acres and may open offices within the next few weeks.
Poff said Lehigh seems to be an appropriate place for the agency to come to in an effort to help many of its citizens.
He has met with Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, on several occasions and they see a need for the Salvation Army.
“We won’t be duplicating services with the Lehigh Community Services, but will help Rae Nicely in other ways, especially working with the people in Lehigh who are homeless or those who have no place to eat a hot meal during the week, in addition to some services offered by Florida Power and Light, which provides electricity to some parts of Lehigh,” Poff said.
Currently, there is only one site that serves free hot meals to those who qualify. First Congregational Church, at 200 E. Leeland Heights Blvd., serves them on Fridays.
Poff met last week with Team Rescue at the Lehigh Community Services, at 201 Plaza Drive, Suite 3. The group is made up of health officials and others.
Poff said the Salvation Army will have offices in the Lehigh Town Centre on the corner of Homestead Road and Alabama Road. He has talked to Conchita Borosch, owner of the plaza, and Rep. Matt Caldwell, who has offices in the plaza, about the space.
“Rep. Caldwell initiated the conversation about the possibility of the Salvation Army coming to Lehigh,” Poff said.
Exactly what services will be offered is still being discussed. Poff said he wants to provide whatever assistance that the residents see as a need.
He knows that there are needs among the homeless and they would be one reason to offer help. It is estimated that a large group of people live in the local woods.
“They don’t have provisions for cooking hot meals and there are other needs that are not being met,” Poff said.
The Salvation Army has no plans to open a shelter or a church, like it has done in Fort Myers. The Fort Myers church has a congregation of about 300 people.
Poff said there are “no pre-set ideas” yet for Lehigh, but he is interested in hearing from the community. People from Lehigh have also asked him to open offices.
He noted that the Salvation Army was began in 1865 in East London, England, by William Booth. They first used a dance hall on Sunday mornings after the club closed on Saturday night.
It started as a Christian organization with a simple mission of doing what it thought Jesus would do. Poff said that mission is much the same today.
The Lehigh site would be a satellite office, with hours that could vary.?It may be staffed with a member of from social services.
He pointed out that his agency works with Florida Power and Light Co., which serves a small area of Lehigh. There is a program to help keep people’s electricity on when they cannot pay on time.
“We can have the power restored through various programs working with FPL,” Poff said.
There is no such program available through the Lee County Electric Cooperative, but it is something that Poff is willing to talk about with LCEC?officials.
While the Salvation Army is not a food pantry, there is a possibility that it may provide hot meals to those who are needy or unable to do so due to a lack of electricity or because they are homeless. The agency could use a mobile system of vans or other vehicles to bring hot food to those in need.
“It could be situated at a certain site, where people in need of hot food could come every day and we would give them a wrapped warm meal,” Poff said.
The Salvation Army also offers programs to help people save money for important needs.
He also talked about a program through the federally-supported HUD, which administers a Rapid Rehousing program. Poff explained that it is to get people in homes. HUD can also help subsidize rent payments.
“I would like to see a task force of Lehigh citizens who would assist us when we open offices here,” he said. “We like to work with a hands up, not a hands on program.”
Lehigh resident Jerry Porter, a member of the Salvation Army, is excited. He said the office could open by mid-February, with an official grand opening and ribbon cutting.
“We’re just really excited about coming to Lehigh and offer our help,” Poff said.
Salvation Army may open new office in Lehigh in February
Bob Poff
Bob Poff, director of social services for the Salvation Army in Fort Myers, told a local group that the agency is coming to Lehigh Acres and may open offices within the next few weeks.
Poff said Lehigh seems to be an appropriate place for the agency to come to in an effort to help many of its citizens.
He has met with Rae Nicely, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, on several occasions and they see a need for the Salvation Army.
“We won’t be duplicating services with the Lehigh Community Services, but will help Rae Nicely in other ways, especially working with the people in Lehigh who are homeless or those who have no place to eat a hot meal during the week, in addition to some services offered by Florida Power and Light, which provides electricity to some parts of Lehigh,” Poff said.
Currently, there is only one site that serves free hot meals to those who qualify. First Congregational Church, at 200 E. Leeland Heights Blvd., serves them on Fridays.
Poff met last week with Team Rescue at the Lehigh Community Services, at 201 Plaza Drive, Suite 3. The group is made up of health officials and others.
Poff said the Salvation Army will have offices in the Lehigh Town Centre on the corner of Homestead Road and Alabama Road. He has talked to Conchita Borosch, owner of the plaza, and Rep. Matt Caldwell, who has offices in the plaza, about the space.
“Rep. Caldwell initiated the conversation about the possibility of the Salvation Army coming to Lehigh,” Poff said.
Exactly what services will be offered is still being discussed. Poff said he wants to provide whatever assistance that the residents see as a need.
He knows that there are needs among the homeless and they would be one reason to offer help. It is estimated that a large group of people live in the local woods.
“They don’t have provisions for cooking hot meals and there are other needs that are not being met,” Poff said.
The Salvation Army has no plans to open a shelter or a church, like it has done in Fort Myers. The Fort Myers church has a congregation of about 300 people.
Poff said there are “no pre-set ideas” yet for Lehigh, but he is interested in hearing from the community. People from Lehigh have also asked him to open offices.
He noted that the Salvation Army was began in 1865 in East London, England, by William Booth. They first used a dance hall on Sunday mornings after the club closed on Saturday night.
It started as a Christian organization with a simple mission of doing what it thought Jesus would do. Poff said that mission is much the same today.
The Lehigh site would be a satellite office, with hours that could vary.?It may be staffed with a member of from social services.
He pointed out that his agency works with Florida Power and Light Co., which serves a small area of Lehigh. There is a program to help keep people’s electricity on when they cannot pay on time.
“We can have the power restored through various programs working with FPL,” Poff said.
There is no such program available through the Lee County Electric Cooperative, but it is something that Poff is willing to talk about with LCEC?officials.
While the Salvation Army is not a food pantry, there is a possibility that it may provide hot meals to those who are needy or unable to do so due to a lack of electricity or because they are homeless. The agency could use a mobile system of vans or other vehicles to bring hot food to those in need.
“It could be situated at a certain site, where people in need of hot food could come every day and we would give them a wrapped warm meal,” Poff said.
The Salvation Army also offers programs to help people save money for important needs.
He also talked about a program through the federally-supported HUD, which administers a Rapid Rehousing program. Poff explained that it is to get people in homes. HUD can also help subsidize rent payments.
“I would like to see a task force of Lehigh citizens who would assist us when we open offices here,” he said. “We like to work with a hands up, not a hands on program.”
Lehigh resident Jerry Porter, a member of the Salvation Army, is excited. He said the office could open by mid-February, with an official grand opening and ribbon cutting.
“We’re just really excited about coming to Lehigh and offer our help,” Poff said.
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