Beacon of HOPE, on the move and needing help
Spawned from the outcry of island-wide anguish wrought by Hurricane Charley, the Beacon of HOPE was formed to come to the aid of those in need. Islanders were assisted in many ways by the staff at the Beacon and after four years, much of the island is back to normal. Since that time, the Beacon has changed direction and continues to serve the island in many new aspects.
“Many of you know us through the Beacon of Hope Thrift Shop where we are the only not-for-profit source on the island for low cost clothing, household goods and furniture, but we are so much more than just a thrift shop,” said Betsy Haesemeyer with the Beacon. “We are helping an average of 45 island residents weekly through our community care services which include a wide variety of means to assist in a wide variety of needs.”
The staff at the Beacon assists with the Access Program, which helps individuals and families apply for a number of government programs including food stamps, children’s medical services, temporary cash and other county and state assistance programs. The staff at the Beacon will assist those who qualify for any of the programs to complete the needed paperwork and provide the use of computers, printers, the Internet, telephone and fax at no charge. Another service provided by the Beacon of HOPE is Meals on Wheels. At this time, dedicated volunteers deliver meals regularly to 15 island residents. Elder care is also provided by Beacon volunteers in the form of transportation to doctor appointments, therapists and shopping. In addition, the Beacon provides volunteers for respite care and home repair and on occasion, supplies funds for emergency medical care. The staff also aides in helping residents to file the required paperwork and documentation to streamline the application for Social Security and disability benefits which helps to speed up the process. With a growing unemployment rate, the Beacon also has taken on the task of aiding in online unemployment applications and has developed a variety of resume templates to ease the process in today’s competitive job market.
As for medical assistance, in addition to providing funds for emergency services and doctor and dental bills, the Beacon Thrift Store also has walkers, canes and potty chairs that are provided at no cost to those in need.
While the biggest cry for assistance was for housing assistance, the Beacon still provides a variety of services in that area including home repair, hurricane preparedness and temporary housing along with short-term emergency funds for food, utilities and rental assistance.
“Our staff and volunteers work faithfully to support the operation of the thrift store as well as our community service functions, and they have made the Beacon of HOPE an integral part of the Pine Island community,” said Haesemeyer. “We try to help in every instance, from getting volunteers to help repair a car, patch a roof, clean or repair a home or running errands. Unfortunately our thrift store can never fully fund all that we do and wish to continue to do. We are in need of immediate assistance. Many count on us and we are counting on the people of Pine Island.”
The Beacon of HOPE Thrift Store will be moving to a new location at the island center.
“We have run out of space at our current location, so in order to display all of our merchandise, we feel we have no choice but to move,” said Haesemeyer. “Unfortunately, this will be a costly move for us and we are taking a chance that it will work out for us. At the current location, we are unable to display many of the items we have and are forced to keep larger items like furniture in a storage facility. This move will either make or break us and we are relying on the generosity of the island to support us and keep the Beacon of HOPE alive for those residents who continue to depend on us.”
At this time, the Beacon of HOPE Thrift Store is located on the corner of Mackerel and Stringfellow roads in Bokeelia. The new location is at 5465 Pine Island Road, just east of the center in a space once occupied by Pine Island Marble and Stone. The new location opened for business on Monday, Nov. 24, and is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We are hoping to offer some hours on Saturday and are looking for volunteers who would like to help us fill these hours,” said Barb Peckinpaugh, office administrator at the Beacon. “We also ask that anyone making donations to the thrift store do so from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., during the days we are open and to please bring their items to the side entrance and not leave them at the front of the store.”
For more information, to make a donation or to volunteer, call the Beacon of HOPE at 283-5123.