Naples nonprofits work together to address medical needs of homeless naplesnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from naplesnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A longtime CEO who served the community for decades is retiring after 17 years.
The St. Matthew’s House board of directors announced Vann Ellison’s retirement last week. For years, he worked with other nonprofits to help people all over Southwest Florida, from the homeless to the hungry to those suffering from addiction.
Those who worked with him recalled his legacy of giving.
“He’s very pastoral. He really cares for the people that we care for as an organization,” said Peter Johnson, vice president of development at St. Matthew’s House.
“From time to time, he would get victims in his shelter, refer them over to us. We would end up getting women in our shelter who were homeless that needed to be referred to Vann’s program over at St. Matthew’s House,” said Linda Oberhaus, CEO at the Shelter for Abused Women and Children.
Ellison joined St. Matthew’s House in 2004 as president and CEO when it operated one homeless shelter with a $1.5 million annual budget. Ellison previously was the jail chaplain for the Collier County Sheriff s Office.
Under his leadership, St. Matthew s House has grown to a $25-million annual operation with its year-long homeless and addiction recovery program and numerous businesses to support its services. It employs 250 people.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, St. Matthew’s House has distributed food to more than 3,000 families a week.
“It is difficult to visualize St. Matt’s without (Ellison), given all he has accomplished over his 17 years of service,” Trachtenberg said. “We are sure that (Ellison’s) talents will continue to be used for a greater purpose.”
St Matthew s House offers hot Easter meals to hundreds in Naples winknews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from winknews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.