Harry Chapin Mobile Pantry continues through October
The Harry Chapin Mobile Pantry will continue to make a stop on Fort Myers Beach until the end of October to meet the need of the community.
“We will continue to let people know it will be out there for another five weeks. The need is still there. We want to make sure we are reaching everybody,” Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce President Jacki Liszak said.
The Mobile Food Pantry will stop at 1510 Estero Boulevard at Avenue C from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday through Oct. 31.
“They are so thankful. So many people are so thankful,” she said.
According to Harry Chapin Food Bank Marketing and Communications Manager Mary Wozniak they decided to continue the Mobile Pantry for another five weeks because after surveying the clients they shared that they had been heavily impacted by the water quality issue and are still not working as many hours as they did before.
“They are having a difficult time meeting their financial obligations,” she said. “We will reevaluate closer to the end of October and see what the future needs are.”
Liszak said that same survey shared that the clients of the mobile pantry work on the beach, or live within five miles of the beach.
“It’s our local people who are being served, which is very encouraging,” Liszak said.
Wozniak said the Mobile Pantry has distributed a total of 21,271 pounds of food, serving 782 families/households, which included 1,786 individuals for all five pantries held so far.
The last pantry, held on Sept. 19, 3,072 pounds of food was provided, which served 165 families/households, which includes 504 individuals.
“Each mobile pantry can serve up to 250 households per distribution. Clients receive 35 to 40 pounds of a variety of food, which may include fresh produce, meat, and bread, along with a variety of canned and dry goods such as peanut butter, beans, rice, juice, cereal, and fruit,” Wozniak said in a previous article.
Those who visit the Mobile Pantry have to fill out a form, which states they meet income requirements, as well as the number of people in their household.
Liszak said they average more than 160 families at the weekly Mobile Pantry, with the most reaching 196 families.
“The things that the families are getting are lovely,” she said.
Some of those items include fresh produce, frozen meat, cheese, dairy products, canned goods and loafs of bread.
“Beautiful quality of food,” Liszak said.
She said the Mobile Pantry on Fort Myer Beach spurred a food pantry truck on Pine Island. The first one was held Friday, Sept. 21. Harry Chapin distributed 2,359 pounds of food to 78 families/households, which included 201 people.
“It feels good to be able to help,” she said. “We are at least helping some folks.”
The community coming together has been something that has touched Liszak.
“It’s been great to see the members of the community come out and distribute the food,” she said, which has included Vice Mayor Joanne Shamp handing out food twice. “It’s great she has been able to do that and talk to people in the community that she serves.”
Liszak said she also wants to thank all the volunteers who have come and continue to come out each week to help with the pantry.
“I’ve been out there four out of the five times. It’s hard to watch. These are a lot of my friends coming through the line. People I know on the beach, people I’m friends with. If you can’t be there for your friends and neighbors, what’s the point,” she asked.
Liszak believes that the water crisis has encouraged others to think outside of the box to help others. One of those ways is a number of friends creating a dining group to go out and dine and shop in the shops.
“It’s so encouraging to see this,” she said.