History of FISH

• Friends in Service Helping was started 27 years ago by four Carson City pastors.

• On May 1, 1979, they registered as a nonprofit called the FISH Emergency Referral Services Program Inc.

• Services first were located in a garage, then several other small locations were used until 1988, when FISH moved to the corner of Carson and Long streets.

• FISH offered food and clothing, then added a thrift store, family dining room, more human services space and spread throughout the block of 138 E. Long St.

• In 1997, FISH raised nearly $300,000 and remodeled the building creating areas for computers, refrigeration walk-in units, modern telephone system and efficient offices.

• At the same time, an anonymous donor created the Ross Medical Clinic and funded it for five years, adding classroom space.

• FISH's board of directors established in 2003 the priority to purchase a permanent site for its services using Realtor Chick James. FISH also applied for a grant from Carson City Redevelopment Authority intended to help with a down payment for a new home. The grant request was successful but had to be invested by June 30.

• A line of credit was created by Colonial Bank to make a purchase possible. The lease on the Long Street properties would expire Dec. 31, 2006.

• The owner of the property indicated a willingness to sell to FISH, the solution FISH was searching for many years.

• FISH purchased the property for $2,250,000 on June 12 from Marie Rose Wolf, of Carson City.