Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Strangeflower.
Hi Heather, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In early 2019, a cofounder and I started showing up every Monday night with bags of snacks, water, and whatever essentials we could gather. We funded the work ourselves and through relying on donations from friends, and we didn’t miss a single Monday.
What began as handing out snack bags to around 20 people has grown into a full community support operation. In 2021, Ubuntu Spirits became officially incorporated, and today we provide hot meals, snack bags, clothing, hygiene kits, sleeping bags, and emergency supplies. We have grown to over 6 consistent, dedicated volunteers and serve an average of 70 people every Monday and distribute around 300 meals per month.
Ubuntu, a Zulu concept meaning “I am because we are,” guides every part of what we do. It’s not just about food — it’s about connection, respect, dignity, and meeting people exactly where they are in life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been anything but smooth — but the challenges have shaped who we are.
The biggest struggle in the beginning was capacity. We were working full-time jobs, fundraising on our own, and then spending every Monday evening driving through Fort Myers with meals and supplies. The route that once took two hours now takes three or more, simply because the need is so great.
Emotionally, it’s heavy work. We see people at their highest moments — getting clean, finding jobs and housing, celebrating small wins — and we see them at their lowest. We’ve lost people to drug overdoses. We’ve watched individuals lose jobs, families, housing, even hope. People come to us with their victories, their struggles, and everything in between, and our role is to simply hold space for them without judgment.
There is also the reality of being unhoused in Florida today. Recent laws make it dangerous for people to be in public spaces, and many are afraid of being arrested or trespassed simply for being. Others move to tent areas where theft and conflict are common. Survival becomes a daily calculation — stay warm, stay safe, stay unseen.
But through all of these challenges, we’ve witnessed what I can only describe as community magic. Whenever we’ve needed something — food, blankets, hygiene kits — it has shown up right on time. Donations arrive unexpectedly. Volunteers step in when we’re stretched thin. It reminds me constantly that Ubuntu is real: when one of us gives, all of us rise.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Ubuntu Spirits is a nonprofit that feeds unhoused individuals and supports people experiencing food insecurity.
Every Monday night, we drive through Fort Myers delivering:
• Hot meals and snack bags
• Water and hydration supplies
• Hygiene kits
• Clothing and blankets
We’re known for showing up consistently, without fail. We haven’t missed a single Monday since the first night we started in 2019. That reliability builds trust. The people we serve know that, no matter what, we’ll be there — even after hurricanes, even in the cold, even with flooded streets, even when it feels like the world has forgotten them.
The other thing that sets us apart is our Rules of the Road. All of our volunteers are aligned with and practice:
• Everything is freely given- no judgment, no strings, just love and an open heart
• Listen, but don’t ask- if someone wants to share their story with you this is a gift, listen with respect and no judgment
• Create as much laughter and as many smiles as you can
• We do not take pictures of anyone we serve. We are not using their trying time to show how “good” we are
• We are all different walks of life and all different beliefs, and all have space here. This is not the time to promote your religion or beliefs above others
• Integrity at all times. This is an unseen community that gets the run around and no seat at the table. If you say you are going to do something you do it.
• We are mobile. We are the ones dashing through the rain to bring snacks to keep people dry, they don’t come to us. We are going home to a hot shower and a soft bed, this discomfort is temporary for us.
Our work isn’t about transactions — it’s about presence.
One of the most important things we do is offer space without judgment. People experiencing homelessness often carry shame, self-doubt, or the weight of society’s assumptions. We meet them where they are — emotionally and physically — and offer acceptance without conditions. That matters more than any snack or blanket ever could.
I’m most proud that Ubuntu Spirits remains rooted in humanity, not bureaucracy. Nothing we give has strings attached. Food should be a basic human right, freely offered, without lectures or requirements. That belief guides everything we do.
How do you think about luck?
Luck has shown up in different ways — some hard, some beautiful.
On the difficult side, I’ve witnessed how quickly someone’s circumstances can change. One unexpected hardship — an epidemic, illness, job loss, trauma — can push someone into hunger or homelessness. That kind of “bad luck” is often misunderstood by society, and seeing it up close has taught me compassion and perspective.
But I’ve also experienced what I would call good luck, or maybe divine timing. Whenever we’ve been close to running out of meals or supplies, something has always come through. A donation arrives. A volunteer messages unexpectedly. A restaurant offers food. It’s happened too many times to feel like coincidence.
Still, I don’t rely on luck — I rely on commitment. Ubuntu Spirit wasn’t built on luck alone; it was built on the decision to show up every Monday, no matter what. The rest is community, generosity, and the kind of quiet miracles that happen when people decide to care for one another.
Pricing:
- All donations are welcome and 100% goes back into our community
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ubuntuspiritinc.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UbuntuSpiritInc
