Beach community came together for Let’s Feed Lee
“Hooters girls” joined the Let’s Feed Lee efforts the last Saturday of September to help the Harry Chapin Food Bank collect nonperishable food.
“About one and seven residents of Southwest Florida will experience hunger this year. We are very grateful to Hooters for their support and feeding local families in need,” said Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, President and CEO Richard LeBer in a prepared statement.
Cat Baxter, who joined the Fort Myers Beach Hooters location as a full-time bartender less than two years ago, joined others Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Fort Myers Beach Publix from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We were collecting nonperishable food goods for those in our community who needs them,” Baxter said. “The collection was awesome. It went great for us for as slow as the beach has been with the red tide. It was awesome to see so many people come out and donate.”
As shoppers visited Publix they were given a preferred shopping list for Harry Chapin Food Bank. Baxter said they had “Hooters girls” handing out cans of food for under $1 to add at checkout, as well as handing out flyers with a list of items needed.
“It was awesome to see Publix employees help out and get as many food donations as we could,” she said. “With the Hooters Girls there we were able to raise a lot of food donations.”
The Fort Myers Beach event raised $300 in cash donations, as well as filled two bins of food.
“We are still collecting food until Saturday (Oct. 6.),” Baxter said of any nonperishable foods. “Any canned goods, dried milk, peanut butter will be taken as long as it does not require refrigeration.”
The items most needed are breakfast bars; canned fish or chicken; beans dry or canned; other canned vegetables; cooking oil; pasta; pasta sauce; tomato sauce; dry milk; jelly; rice; cans of soup and beef stew.
She said many of their regular Hooters customers came out and supported the cause.
“It was really awesome to see our Hooters regulars come out. People we see in a different environment come out and donate their source to people in need in our community,” Baxter said. “People were donating cash and all nonperishable food goods. It was a really awesome.”
The monetary donations, as well as the nonperishable food collected went towards the Harry Chapin Food Bank. She said it will be distributed throughout the area to wherever it is needed most. One of those places will go towards the Harry Chapin Mobile Pantry, which makes a stop on Fort Myers Beach every Wednesday.
“Hooters is always in the community trying to give back. We work alongside Harry Chapin all the time. This was something exciting for us right down the road that we got to do,” Baxter said.
She said she loved giving back to the community during the Let’s Feed Lee event.
“It’s so fun. Nothing beats working somewhere you love and gives back to the community, too. That has been a big plus one for me, outreach in my community with the job I’m already working. To wear that Hooters Girls logo on your shirt while helping those in need . . .,” Baxter said.
Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida Marketing and Communications Manager Mary Wozniak said their final total for Let’s Feed Lee is 47,488 pounds of food and $11,733 in donations from the 35 Publix Supermarkets that were involved in the food drive.