On Wednesday, May 24, 2017, St. Matthew’s House broke ground on its new thrift store in Immokalee.
St. Matthew’s House staff, along with community and civic leaders, attended the event and were served a catered lunch from SMH Catering at Immokalee Friendship House.
St. Matthew’s House and the Immokalee Friendship House have joyfully served the local community for over thirty years. “This new St. Matthew’s House thrift store will better serve the community, be an attractive addition to Main Street, and provide training and jobs to Immokalee residents,” said Steve Brooder, Executive Vice President of St. Matthew’s House. The new store will replace the previous store at 630 West Main Street (recently demolished) and, after completion, house the merchandise and staff from the thrift store currently at 1520 Lake Trafford Road.
Vann Ellison, the President and CEO of St. Matthew’s House writes, “Immokalee Friendship House has been a part of the community for thirty years and we are excited about the reinvestment back into the area. Through the work of St. Matthew’s House and our social enterprises, thousands of lives have been changed for the better. Our new thrift store will offer good jobs and services, while continuing our commitment to transform lives in the community.”
The new location, just under 6,000 square feet, will open in November of 2017.