Nation’s largest one-day food drive seeks donations
Letter carriers in Fort Myers/Cape Coral are distributing plastic grocery bags in mailboxes, supplied by Publix Supermarkets, for use by customers in Saturday’s National Association of Letter Carriers 17th annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive on Saturday, May 9. This will be the nation’s largest one-day food drive; over 350 letter carriers from the greater Fort Myers/Cape Coral area participating.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank is in need of having 300,000 pounds of food donated Saturday in order to provide food to their 167 participating nonprofit agencies, who assist over 20,000 individuals each month. Postal customers are asked to place nonperishable food in the bags and place them next to their mail box for collection by the carriers.
The need for donated food items has increased 30 to 70 percent over this past year. The 167 participating non-profit agencies of the Harry Chapin Food Bank have been experiencing a much higher need than ever before as more and more individuals are becoming unemployed. Additionally, as school will be out for the summer, many children who have relied on free and inexpensive meals at schools will not have that option available to them. The food bank is looking for donations to exceed 300,000 pounds this year. All food donated will stay in Lee County.
Virtually any kind of food can be accepted. Especially needed are items such as peanut butter, tuna, rice, beans, and canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups. The food bank has also begun accepting pet food to assist those individuals who have a difficult time purchasing food for their animals.
The food drive, the nation’s largest one-day food drive, is also in need of volunteers to assist in unloading letter carrier vehicles and do a pre-sort of the donated items. They are scheduled for several hour shifts on the post office loading docks. This is an ideal time for students to acquire volunteer hours. Contact Marta Hodson, 239-334, 7007, ext. 32, or email her at martahodson@harrychapinfoodbank.org if you can assist.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to needy people through a network of local nonprofit agencies, providing food to non-profit agencies that serve over 20,000 people monthly. The Harry Chapin Food Bank distributes more than 4.25 million pounds of food and other grocery products, valued at more than $7 million, per year.
Additional information about or to contribute financially to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, contact 239-334-7007 or go to harrychapinfoodbank.org.