CHRISTINE SWIERSZ APPOINTED                                                                                                                         NEW PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT F.I.S.H.

     The F.I.S.H. Board of Directors recently announced the appointment of its first Program Director, Christine Swiersz, who will be responsible for Case  Management at F.I.S.H., evaluating and facilitating solutions for the needs of F.I.S.H. clients.  Christine comes with a wealth of experience, is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida and holds a Master of Social Work degree from Florida State University.  

     Christine’s position has been funded by a grant awarded to F.I.S.H. by the Good Neighbor Community Foundation.

     ‘We are delighted to welcome Christine to the F.I.S.H. team,” said President Maggi Feiner. “She has the right skills and is very experienced in the areas where we are seeing increasing demands for our help – these range across the full spectrum of children, adults, elderly individuals and families on Sanibel and Captiva who are turning to F.I.S.H. for assistance."                       

     Christine has been working in the State of Florida for more than twenty years as a Clinical Social Worker.  She has experience in a wide variety of disciplines including working within schools, hospitals and at elderly patient care facilities. 

     Maggi Feiner added “The appointment of our part time Program Director has been made possible only by the generous grant given to us by the ‘Good Neighbor Community Foundation’ for whom we are very grateful.”

                           F.I.S.H. – Community Fund Drive Needs Help!

      We’re at the half way point of the annual F.I.S.H. of Sanibel community fund drive, and while we’ve had a generous response from many, we’re falling short of our objective. F.I.S.H. relies solely on the support of the community to meet it’s financial needs. Unfortunately, with the current economic environment, the needs of some of our island neighbors are greater than ever. Keeping the Food Pantry stocked and being able to provide emergency financial assistance is the top priority for F.I.S.H. in 2010.

     Bill Fellows, Director of Resource Development, stated “the economic impact has been felt by us all and we accordingly set a modest fund drive goal for 2009. Falling short of that goal will ripple through all of our services when our community can least afford it.” 

     If you haven’t yet responded to the recent F.I.S.H. mailing, please consider doing so now or stop in the F.I.S.H. Walk-In-Center at 2340 Periwinkle Way Suite I-1 to make a donation.