I am so excited to announce that the Sanibel public library is now open after Ian! It reopened to residents on December 1, 2022, for a very nice gift for the holidays!

Here is the update from the Sanibel Library:

The Library reopened to the public today, wonderful to see so many smiling faces!

Patrons used the WiFi for remote work, borrowed & returned books, and shared their hurricane stories.

The Library will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Curbside Pickup Service will continue throughout the month of December, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. To use the service, place your items on hold, you will be contacted with the day or time to pick up.

The drive-up book drop located in the parking garage on the west side, is open for returns.

Stay Updated on the Sanibel Public Library

For news and updates on the Sanibel Public Library, check their website HERE and their Facebook page HERE.

#SanibelStrong

Sanibel Public Library Location & Contact Info

Sanibel Public Library

770 Dunlop Road

Sanibel, FL

(239) 472-2483

notices@sanlib.org

sanlib.org

Is the Captiva Memorial Library open after Ian?

 The Captiva Memorial Library is currently still closed after Ian.

This is their latest update on their website:

Before Hurricane Ian, the Captiva Memorial Library was closed for a flooring renovation. This project needs to be completed before the library will reopen.

You can check back for updates on their site HERE.

Captiva Memorial Library

11560 Chapin Lane 
Captiva, FL 33924

239-533-4890 Voice 

Help Support Sanibel Recovery Efforts

Sanibel Island is special in our hearts as well as many others, who are heartbroken over the devastation that Hurricane Ian brought this friendly little island in SW Florida.

Living in southwest Florida ourselves, and Sanibel being our "home away from home," we wanted a way to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian to rebuild and come back stronger and more beautiful than ever, so that families can continue to be able to create wonderful lifelong memories in this little slice of paradise.

$5 of every shirt purchased will go towards SW Florida relief efforts at: F.I.S.H. of SanCap and  Sanibel businesses that have been impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Click HERE to purchase. 💜 Thank you!

Sanibel Online Shopping Directory

Help support Sanibel in its recovery efforts as well as  Sanibel businesses by shopping from the Sanibel Online Shopping Directory! Some businesses may also have ways you can donate to help them rebuild and to support their employees who were affected by the hurricane as well.

What a great way to show love to your favorite island! ❤️‍🩹

Miraculously, the beautiful historic Chapel by the Sea on Captiva Island still stands after the devastation of Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022.

 However, the structure and property did sustain some damage that will be repaired in the coming weeks and months. This damage includes some significant issues with the Chapel’s belfry, flooring and the Cemetery’s fencing and vegetation.
 

Captiva Chapel by the Sea Hurricane Ian Damage (Video)

Captiva Chapel by the Sea Cemetery after Ian (Photos)

Captiva Chapel by the Sea Cemetery after Ian (Video)

Beautiful Chapel of the Sea Christmas Lights Before Ian

I had to include these beautiful photos of the Christmas lights of the Chapel of the Sea last year (2021) prior to Hurricane Ian. So charming! Looking forward to the day when we can enjoy these once again!

Update: Chapel by the Sea will be Reopening!

January 2, 2023 UPDATE from Chapel by the Sea's Facebook page:

"It warms our hearts to share that starting Sunday, January 29th, Reverend Larry Marshall will be returning to Captiva for live, in-person services. Due to ongoing repairs to the chapel, services will be held in the Chapel Yard."

Online Worship Services

You can worship with Chapel by the Sea every Sunday morning at 11am Eastern time on their YouTube channel HERE.

Support Captiva Chapel by the Sea

The church's repair costs are being assessed by professionals but preliminary estimates are appearing to be costs in excess of $200,000.
 
They appreciate anything you can do to support their recovery.

To donate to The Chapel by the Sea, click the button below, or send a check to:

 Chapel by the Sea
 PO Box 118

Captiva, FL 33924
 

Stay Updated on Chapel by the Sea's Reconstruction Process

You can stay updated on how the Chapel by the Sea is recovering from Ian on their website HERE or their Facebook page HERE.

11580 Chapin Ln, Captiva, FL

CaptivaChapel@gmail.com

captivachapel.com

Captiva Memorial Library after Ian

I am looking into information about how the Captiva Library fared through Hurricane Ian. So far, this is what they have posted on their website:

Before Hurricane Ian, the Captiva Memorial Library was closed for a flooring renovation. This project needs to be completed before the library will reopen.

You can check back for updates on their site HERE.

Captiva Memorial Library

11560 Chapin Lane
Captiva, FL 33924

239-533-4890 Voice 

After Sanibel & Captiva Islands were devastated by Hurricane Ian, many of you have been wondering how you can help. 

I decided to start compiling a list of volunteer and donation opportunities so we can all help beautiful Sanibel and its residents recover.  This is just a start, but I wanted to get it out there and will be adding to it as I hear of more volunteer opportunities. You can also stay updated by checking their websites and following their Facebook pages, as I'm sure volunteer opportunities will be constantly changing.

Please let me know if you know of more Sanibel volunteer opportunities! Thank you!

#SanibelStrong

F.I.S.H. of SanCap

F.I.S.H. is a human services organization focused on 'neighbors helping neighbors' with a vision to create communities where all people have the support they need to thrive. Their mission is to enrich the lives of all people in Sanibel and Captiva Islands by neighbors helping neighbors with social services, education and assistance.

To learn how you can volunteer for hurricane relief efforts, please reach out to Kim Ouellette their operations and volunteer manager at 239-472-4775 or Kim@fishofsancap.org.

For news & updates, follow F.I.S.H. on Facebook HERE. 

2430 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957

http://fishofsancap.org/

Community Housing and Resources

As a result of Hurricane Ian, CHR residents lost everything, are now homeless and without jobs. If you’re in a position to provide support, please consider donating and all funds received will be used to help CHR residents with housing and essentials during this time. Thank you!

CROW - Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife

The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife is a teaching hospital and visitor education center dedicated to saving wildlife through state-of-the-art veterinary care, research, education and conservation medicine.

Each year, CROW cares for more than 5,000 wildlife patients including more than 200 species of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in its veterinary hospital, which is one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation facilities for native and migratory wildlife.

Volunteers are the cornerstone of CROW and each year more than 200 volunteers dedicate thousands of hours helping rescue, care for and rehabilitate wildlife. 

To learn more about becoming a volunteer at CROW, click HERE.

Stay updated about CROW on their Facebook page HERE.

3883 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel, FL
(239) 472-3644

email: info@crowclinic.org

crowclinic.org

Shop the CROW ‘Wild’ Holiday Gift Guide for the perfect present! 100% of proceeds from their online store directly benefit patient care and rehabilitation at their clinic!

https://crow-clinic-gift-shop.mybigcommerce.com/

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. It is world famous for spectacular migratory bird populations. The refuge was established in 1945 to safeguard and enhance the wildlife habitat of Sanibel Island, to protect endangered and threatened species, and to provide feeding, nesting, and roosting areas for migratory birds. In 1967, the refuge was renamed for conservation pioneer Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, who was instrumental in its founding. More than 40 percent of the refuge is Congressionally designated wilderness.

You can learn more about Ding Darling on their website HERE.

You can learn more about volunteer opportunities at Ding Darling HERE. (Note: many of the opportunities may not be available yet after Ian.)

1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel, FL

(239) 472-1100

dingdarling@fws.gov

fws.gov/dingdarling

To learn more about how Ding Darling wildlife sanctuary fared during Hurricane Ian, check out my post How is Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge after Hurricane Ian? (Photos)

To donate to Ding Darling, click the button below:

Shop the Ding Darling gift shop! 100% of the proceeds go to support the refuge.

Ding Darling Wildlife Society - Friends of the Refuge

Ding Darling Wildlife Society - Friends of the Refuge is a great organization to join to help support the refuge and its recovery efforts. 

You can follow their news & updates on Facebook HERE and learn more about how you can get involved on the website here: dingdarlingsociety.org

SCCF (Sanibel - Captiva Conservation Foundation)

Founded in 1967, SCCF's mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida's coastal ecosystems through their focus on Water Quality Research, Policy and Advocacy, Sea Turtles and Shorebirds, Native Landscaping, Habitat and Wildlife Management, and Environmental Education.

They are the largest private landowner on Sanibel Island, managing more than 1,200 acres on Sanibel plus more than 600 additional acres on surrounding islands. They have more than eight miles of nature trails at preserves throughout the island.

 Over the last 53 years, SCCF's diverse program areas have grown to include the Native Landscapes & Garden Center, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Sea Turtle & Shorebird Research and Monitoring, Environmental Policy, a Marine Laboratory, and the Sanibel Sea School. 

You can learn more about SSCF and how you can get involved, on their website HERE.

You can stay updated on their hurricane recovery progress and on volunteer opportunities on their Facebook page HERE.

Your gift will aid SCCF in getting back to their work monitoring shorebirds and sea turtles, advocating for sound environmental policy, researching water quality, managing over 2,000 acres of protected land, and more.

3333 Sanibel - Captiva Rd.
Sanibel, FL 33957

website: https://www.sccf.org
email: sccf@sccf.org

Support Sanibel Recovery Efforts

Sanibel Island is special in our hearts as well as many others, who are heartbroken over the devastation that Hurricane Ian brought this friendly little island in SW Florida.

Living in southwest Florida ourselves, and Sanibel being our "home away from home," we wanted a way to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian to rebuild and come back stronger and more beautiful than ever, so that families can continue to be able to create wonderful lifelong memories in this little slice of paradise.

$5 of every shirt purchased will go towards SW Florida relief efforts at: F.I.S.H. of SanCap and  Sanibel businesses that have been impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Click HERE to purchase. 💜 Thank you!

Sanibel Online Shopping Directory

Help support Sanibel in its recovery efforts as well as  Sanibel businesses by shopping from the Sanibel Online Shopping Directory! Some businesses may also have ways you can donate to help them rebuild and to support their employees who were affected by the hurricane as well.

What a great way to show love to your favorite island! ❤️‍🩹

SANIBEL STRONG COMMUNITY

We are just like you. We love Sanibel Island. We have vacationed, lived, done business on and played on the island. We understand the uniqueness of the way of life Sanibel fosters. We are hurting too and want to help. We have come together from all around the country (and world!) because, together, we are #SanibelStrong.

We are boots on the ground, we are generous volunteers and donors. We are businesses caring about businesses. We are a Sanibel Family. We come from all walks of life but one thing is certain -- we have loved the beaches of Sanibel, we have felt the special island spirit, we have shopped at Jerry's and eaten at the Lazy Flamingo.

Sanibel Strong, Inc., is a grass roots public charity with 501(c)(3) non-profit status from the IRS and is a registered Florida not for profit corporation. All donations are tax-deductible.

https://www.sanibelstrong.community/

OR

Know of More Volunteer Opportunities?

Just comment below or let me know the details HERE. Thank you! 
#SanibelStrong

Hurricane Ian was no match for the residents of Sanibel. They are showing their strength, resiliency, and HOPE through the SIGNS they leave. 

Sanibel is slowly recovering from Ian due to the love of its people. It will return, and stronger and more beautiful than ever. 

Enjoy these signs of HOPE  from Sanibel! Looking forward to the day when we all can return to this beautiful island paradise.

Signs of LIFE on Sanibel

If you enjoyed this post, check out my post Signs of LIFE on Sanibel Island after Hurricane Ian to see all the beautiful plant and animal wildlife that are thriving and making their comeback after Ian!

Beautiful Photography Credit

A big thank you to the Sanibel residents who shared their hope-filled  photos of the post-Ian signs on Sanibel.

Many of these photos were taken by Sanibel artist Angelika Geerlof. You can see more of her work on her Sanibel Moodscapes Facebook page HERE and her website HERE. Many of her photographs are available for purchase on canvas, mouse pads, tote bags, calendars, Christmas ornaments and more.

You can also read her first-hand account of surviving through the horrors of Ian at Surviving Hurricane Ian (Sanibel Survivor Story)

Share your Stories, Photos, Updates about your Sanibel Business, & Volunteer Opportunities

If you have a personal story about the hurricane, and/or photos or videos of the damage and recovery efforts that you'd like to share on this site, please submit them HERE. I would also like to know about volunteer opportunities so I can share them with others. 
If you have a business on SanCap, we would also love to stay updated on your recovery progress. Just let us know HERE!

Sanibel Online Shopping Directory

Help support Sanibel in its recovery efforts as well as  Sanibel businesses by shopping from the Sanibel Online Shopping Directory! What a great way to show love to your favorite island! ❤️‍🩹

Sanibel Island was decimated when strong winds and a deadly 18' high storm surge from Hurricane Ian came rushing over and swallowing up the island on September 28, 2022.  But God made nature incredibly resilient, and both the island wildlife and the people who live there are strong and holding onto hope.

Seven weeks later, signs of LIFE are springing up in this beautiful and beloved tropical paradise. Enjoy these photos of the recovery of the plant and animal life on Sanibel after Ian. May it give you hope as well! ♥️

Signs of Plant Life & Vegetation on Sanibel after Ian

Yes, the vegetation is greening up, plants and flowers are budding, and signs of life are popping out everywhere!

The bold color of hope...beautiful hibiscus at Sanibel Moorings 🧡

As Sanibel resident Mark Heiman remarked,

"For the first 4 or 5 weeks after Ian, we didn’t see or hear any signs of life on the island. There weren’t even mosquitoes or noseums. For the last couple of weeks we are seeing a transformation. The island is greening up, we are hearing and seeing birds, mourning doves, cardinals, woodpeckers, pelicans, Osprey, and Ibis. We have seen raccoons, iguanas, and manatees. And the mosquitoes and noseums are back with a vengeance."

Signs of Wildlife on Sanibel after Ian

I love all of these beautiful photos of the animals and birds on Sanibel that are thriving after Ian!

Iguanas

Crocodile

Majestic Osprey

I hope these Sanibel photos brought a smile to your day. You can see more beautiful post-hurricane wildlife photos and videos on my post How is Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge after Hurricane Ian? 

Please share with someone who would love to see these beautiful signs of life as well.

Hope abounds, and life is springing up everywhere on Sanibel! ♥️

Beautiful Photography Credit

A big thank you to the Sanibel residents who shared their beautiful photos of the post-Ian wildlife on Sanibel.

Many of these stunning wildlife photos were taken by Sanibel artist Angelika Geerlof. You can see more of her work on her Sanibel Moodscapes Facebook page HERE and her website HERE. Many of her photographs are available for purchase on canvas, mouse pads, tote bags, calendars, Christmas ornaments and more.

Support a local Sanibel artist this Christmas! ☺️

Share your Stories, Photos, Updates about your Sanibel Business, & Volunteer Opportunities

If you have a personal story about the hurricane, and/or photos or videos of the damage and recovery efforts that you'd like to share on this site, please submit them HERE. I would also like to know about volunteer opportunities so I can share them with others. 
If you have a business on SanCap, we would also love to stay updated on your recovery progress. Just let us know HERE!

Sanibel Online Shopping Directory

Help support Sanibel in its recovery efforts as well as  Sanibel businesses by shopping from the Sanibel Online Shopping Directory! What a great way to show love to your favorite island! ❤️‍🩹