Harry Chapin needs volunteers to assist with hunger study
To the editor:
Volunteers are needed to assist the Harry Chapin Food Bank with a national hunger study. The study will take place at various agencies that receive and distribute food through the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Times and locations will vary, but volunteers will need between three and six hours for each site. Bi-lingual English and Spanish is a plus.
Hunger study volunteers will be thoroughly trained and will be assisted at all times by food bank staff members. Training will be provided on Wednesday, April 10. It will take place at the food bank office, located at 3760 Fowler Street, Fort Myers. Volunteers will be interviewing clients at various sites of food bank participating agencies throughout Southwest Florida.
Volunteers will utilize Dell computer tablets provided by Feeding America and pre-programmed with a list of questions the clients will answer. Volunteers will make certain the clients’ information is gathered with the highest level of respect for their privacy and present circumstance; the study results will assist in better serving them.
Individuals interested in assisting the food bank by being a volunteer for this study are asked to contact Bedzaida Bryen at 334-7007 (ext. 141) or bedzaidabryen@harrychapinfoodbank.org
The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to families in need through a network of 160 nonprofit agencies in Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties that provide food to more than 30,000 people monthly. More than 1 million pounds of food are distributed by the Harry Chapin Food Bank 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 more than 15 million pounds of food and other grocery items valued at more than $24.9 million. This is roughly the equivalent of 12.5 million meals to people in need.
Joyce Jacobs
Harry Chapin Food Bank