BY PIPER CASTILLO
Times Staff Writer
DUNEDIN — It has been only two years since the board of directors began operating Dunedin Cares from Faith Lutheran Church, inside a 600-square-foot community room. Already volunteers have handed out upwards of 100,000 pounds of food, and each month the organization see about 175 clients. The social service group has quickly outgrown its home.
"Actually, we knew from the beginning we’d need more room, but we were thrilled to be able to use this space,’’ said Joe Mackin, vice president and secretary for the organization’s board of directors. "And, it just so happened that a few months ago, the word was spreading, that we needed a new home.’’
One city to the south, in Clearwater, members of Christ the Lord Lutheran Church learned through a news story that Dunedin Cares needed more room, and they decided to pick up the baton. For many years, the church operated a neighborhood school from its spot on Hercules Avenue. However about six years ago, church leaders recognized it could no longer financially support it, and since closing in 2012, the church’s school building, a modular structure, has been shuttered.
A few months ago, Pastor John Backus called administration at Faith Lutheran Church, letting them know the structure was available.
"We knew the school had reached its final chapter, but we had been looking in the community and asking how the building could serve the area, and the answer was not evident until we learned that Dunedin Cares needed more square footage,’’ Backus said.
It wasn’t long before members of the board of directors for Dunedin Cares, including president Ed Hughes and Mackin, learned the news. The old school structure would make a good home, and if Dunedin Cares could transport the building to Faith Lutheran Church, the food pantry could still stay on the 3-acre property on Pinehurst Road.
"We looked at it as a godsend,’’ Mackin said. "We didn’t think we’d be able find a location so quickly, and we were so excited to know we’d keep the pantry at the same church.’’
In September, members of Christ the Lord began readying their old school for the move, disconnecting wiring, and removing steps and the deck. At Dunedin Cares, the board began preparing proper documentation of the transfer with the city and church, lining up volunteers to do carpentry work and organizing their finances. The move alone cost $7,000.
"It’s not cheap to do this, but it is a wonderful opportunity,’’ Mackin said. "But we had a five-year plan to get a new home, so we had been setting aside money.’’
A transport company picked up the modular building on two trucks a couple of months ago and drove it to its new home three miles away..
"Picture a double-wide trailer,’’ Mackin said. "The pieces were put back together.’’
Once the mover set it up, the volunteer board got to work. First order of business was a new roof then painting, installing new electrical wiring and prepping the central air conditioner, and arranging for a new deck and plumbing. According to Mackin, the board is aiming to open the new home in February.
Dave Eggers, a former mayor of Dunedin and current county commissioner, has been keeping an eye on the progress of the project. It was about nine years ago, during the recession, when Eggers was receiving calls from residents in need of food and other support.
"I remember (the calls) were around the holidays, and people were calling me in need of different things. Food was a biggie,’’ he said. "I realized the city had no way to help. The county has different outlets, but the city didn’t. From there, we thought it was important to create a social services committee.’’
And out of that committee, whose core members included Hughes and Mackin, Dunedin Cares was born. Although the city does provide financial support (this year it budgeted $6,000 for Dunedin Cares), the organization depends on outside donations and volunteers.
Although, Mackin, a Realtor and former marketing executive, admits the project is costly — between the move, the renovations, the deck, the roof and permitting, estimated cost to open the new building is at about $50,000 — he stresses it would cost more to buy a standalone building somewhere else.
"It’s all been incredible, the combination of receiving the free building and the agreement of the church wanting us to stay,’’ Mackin said. "We can keep doing what we want to do.’’
Contact Piper Castillo at [email protected] Follow @Florida_PBJC.
