LeeTran and Publix collect 67,672 pounds of food for food bank
The public stepped up to the plate in “stuffing the bus” for the Sunday, Sept. 18, LeeTran/Publix event but fell short of the goal of 100,000 pounds. 67,672 pounds of nonperishable food were collected in the third annual “Fill Our Fleet-Feed Our Hungry” event. In addition, $3,615.27 was donated, reflecting the ability of the Harry Chapin Food Bank to provide $21,000 worth of food to its agencies.
LeeTran deployed its fleet of buses to all 33 Lee County Publix supermarkets between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to collect nonperishable food for the Harry Chapin Food Bank. At 3, the buses were unloaded at the Fowler Street warehouse, where volunteers unloaded and weighed the donated food. The Fiddlesticks Publix store brought in the most food, 6,152 pounds.
Publix customers had the opportunity of purchasing pre-packaged sacks of groceries in the weeks leading up to the actual event.
This year’s collection is less than the 72,998 pounds of food collected last year. Co-sponsors of the event include the News-Press Media Group and Beasley Broadcasting Group, Inc. LeeTran drivers and other employees volunteered their day’s labor to serve the community.
All food collected during food drives is distributed at no charge to the food bank’s participating agencies. The need for food continues to grow as more and more families become “food insecure,” not knowing where their net meal is coming from.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to families in need through a network of 186 local nonprofit agencies in Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties, who provide food to more than 30,000 people monthly. More than 1 million pounds of food are distributed monthly. For every dollar donated, about $6 in food value goes back to the community. In the past fiscal year, The Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed 12.5 million pounds of food and other grocery products; this was a 31 oercent increase over the previous year.