We are thrilled to announce our next AngelFISH Society project for the coming year— Weekly Fresh Meals for Kids.

As an extension of the FISH Backpack Program—designed to battle childhood hunger by offering nutritious weekend food and extra snacks for children year round—the Weekly Fresh Meal provides a well-balanced meal kit that families can easily prepare on a weekday and enjoy together. This program is meant to encourage families to be more independent and promote togetherness while combating food insecurity. Each Weekly Fresh Meal includes a kid-friendly recipe and all necessary ingredients.

Throughout the year, FISH staff plans monthly meal themes which have included Asian Cuisine, a Healthy Twist on American Classics, Back-to-School and Plant-Based meals which adds an element of fun and variety for kids and parents alike.

During the pandemic, we have seen a significant increase in financial strain on parents and families due to job loss, cut hours, layoffs, school closures and more. In order to continue the fight against food insecurity, FISH doubled the amount of food given to each child in the Backpack Program and began the new Weekly Fresh Meals as an additional way to feed the needs.

Since 2019, the number of families served by these programs has increased tremendously with over 180 children currently enrolled.

The first AngelFISH Society project we are passionate about is helping island seniors dealing with isolation, loneliness and depression. In the wake of COVID, we are experiencing an increase in the number of seniors having difficulties with physical, mental and emotional needs. FISH is busier than ever making daily phone calls and virtual visits to help combat isolation. To continue our efforts and reach even more seniors who may be struggling, we want to provide computers, hot spots and IT support.

We are thrilled that the AngelFISH senior technology program has already made a positive impact. We have enabled FISH to distribute tablets, cases, instruction manuals, internet hotspots, laptop computers, printers, bedside tablet stands, smartphones with cases, and technology training sessions to help our senior neighbors stay connected.

We have a wonderful relationship with our Sanibel Library who was instrumental in helping us begin this program. But the time allotment for client support has been more than initially anticipated so we now work with Barrier IT Solutions for training and client technology assistance. This new partnership has proven to be affordable and effective in providing tech support for our island seniors.