Lee County AFCAAM Center Reopens with Visit from the Bishop

Fort Myers, FL, Sept. 13, 2022 – The African Caribbean American Center (AFCAAM Center), a program of Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, Inc., is celebrating its reopening since the pandemic shutdown with a newly renovated building, updated programs, and a new director. On Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 4 p.m., the AFCAAM Center will host a reopening celebration with a visit from the Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, the Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane, a ribbon-cutting, food trucks, waterslides, dunk tanks, live music, and games. Bishop Dewane will bless the building and hold the official ribbon cutting along with local dignitaries and WINK News. There will be live music from noon to 4 p.m. with a special guest, Verceal Whitaker, formerly of The Platters, performing live on stage at 2:30 p.m.

The center’s new director, Anna Callwood, who has more than 40 years of administration and counseling experience, said, “We are grateful and excited about reopening the center and carrying

out the mission of its founders to ensure that the children we serve in the Dunbar community achieve academic and social success.” Eddie Gloria, Catholic Charities Chief Executive Officer, commented,

“The AFCAAM Center’s mission is to support our youth by providing a structured and safe after-school environment where they can ask questions, make mistakes, invent themselves and grow into confident and successful members of our communities.”

The AFCAAM Center was founded in the 1980s by Dominican Sis. Marie McBride and Sis. Elaine Robbins to serve the Dunbar community of Fort Myers. The newly renovated center now has 34 registered participants and offers reading and writing enrichment services, homework assistance, and positive youth development programs for school-aged children from kindergarten through

grade 12.

For more information about the AFCAAM Center, contact Anna Callwood, Center Director at 239-461-0233 or email anna.callwood@catholiccharitiesdov.org. The AFCAAM Center is located at 3681 Michigan Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33916.

About Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, Inc.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice, Inc., is a nonprofit founded in 1984 by the Diocese of Venice in Florida and serves as a resource to the community offering health and human services, food pantries, counseling, legal assistance, rapid re-housing, education, and disaster response. Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice is located in 10 SWFL counties, including Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota. The mission of Catholic Charities is to provide help, create hope, and serve all. For more information,
visit catholiccharitiesdov.org.