Friday, May 7, 2021
Summer is right around the corner, and for your food bank, the season marks a period where we are burdened with additional challenges. The amount of donated food that we are able to secure is at its lowest, we struggle to find fresh local produce, and the food bank is continuing to purchase $1 million worth of food each month – all the while, the demand for food is at its highest. Not only are thousands of families still struggling from the effects of the pandemic, but those with school aged children must now provide two additional meals each day, despite their work schedules being reduced due to the summer off-season months. If you are looking for food, please click here.
To complicate matters, your food bank experiences logistical challenges each summer. Our changemakers are a critical requirement for the success of our operations and help us build kits, sort produce and distribute food. The time they give us is an essential ingredient in our sound financial management. Unfortunately, summer is the time where many of our changemakers leave their seasonal residences in Southwest Florida, reducing the capabilities of our crucial volunteer workforce. If you are well, able, and willing to give your time, please click here to sign up.
Despite the challenges we face moving forward into the summer season, we continue to push forward in achieving our vision that no one has to go hungry in our community. We celebrate that for the past five years, Satisfy the Hunger, a collaborative initiative between the Community Foundation of Collier County, Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, United Way of Collier and the Keys, Moorings Park Foundation, and the Naples Daily News has helped to bridge the gap. Satisfy the Hunger provides a priceless endorsement of the food bank, including our primary role in sourcing and distributing fresh produce and nutritious foods to our partner agencies and food distribution programs.
Because of you, a total of 1,023,729 pounds of food was distributed throughout our five-county footprint this week. Because of you, more than a quarter of a million people are being fed each month. Because of you, Harry Chapin Food Bank can overcome the summer challenges. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
To support our efforts, please click here.