FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Foundation grant strengthens Harry Chapin Food Bank’s mobile pantry in Golden Gate
Collier Community Foundation funds provide food to neighbors experiencing hunger
FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 12, 2025) – The Collier Community Foundation has awarded a $55,000 grant to help Harry Chapin Food Bank fortify its Golden Gate Mobile Pantry Program, which serves children, families, seniors and veterans who are experiencing hunger.
The Mobile Pantry Program utilizes farmers market-style and drive-thru distribution models to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, canned goods, bread and other shelf-stable items.
“Our Mobile Pantry Program is critically important for our neighbors who do not have reliable access to transportation or have the time to drive into central Naples for a bag of groceries,” said Richard LeBer, president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank. “We don’t want distance to be the determining factor in whether a family eats dinner tonight, and the generous grant from the Collier Community Foundation will provide 110,000 meals at a time when so many Southwest Floridians are struggling.”
The Collier Community Foundation has supported Harry Chapin Food Bank for many years, including a recent $51,000 food insecurity grant that helped provide food to neighbors across Collier County. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic giving on six priorities: housing and hunger, mental health and substance abuse, environment and accessibility, education and employment, crisis and disaster relief, and seniors and veterans.
“Addressing hunger is essential to building a stronger, more resilient Collier County,” said Eileen Connolly-Keesler, president and CEO of the Collier Community Foundation. “For 40 years, our Foundation has invested in partners who lift up our neighbors, and Harry Chapin Food Bank is at the forefront of that work. This support ensures that families, seniors and veterans in Golden Gate can access nutritious food when they need it most.”
Southwest Florida residents experiencing hunger can search for distribution centers and mobile pantries on Harry Chapin Food Bank’s Food Finder platform at HarryChapinFoodBank.org/food-locator.
About Harry Chapin Food Bank
Harry Chapin Food Bank, a Feeding America partner food bank, is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Florida and serves approximately 300,000 neighbors monthly through its Feeding Network of up to 175 agency partners. In 2024, the nonprofit distributed 39.5 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 32 million meals, at food banks and mobile pantries across Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. Harry Chapin Food Bank is an Agency Partner of United Way and a Blueprint Partner of the Naples Children Foundation, rated as a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum-rated by Candid’s GuideStar. For more information, please visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org or call 239-334-7007.
About the Collier Community Foundation
Celebrating 40 years of empowering local philanthropy, the Collier Community Foundation® is a trusted, tax-exempt, public charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the community through impactful giving. Established in 1985, the Foundation manages over 900 donor funds, collaborates with hundreds of nonprofits, and has awarded more than $400 million in grants and scholarships over the past 40 years to support vital programs and initiatives. By connecting generosity with community needs, the Collier Community Foundation drives informed giving and delivers powerful results. To learn more, visit CollierCF.org or call 239-649-5000.
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Media Contacts:
Irma C. Lancaster, Harry Chapin Food Bank, IL********@**FB.org or 239-334-7007 x103
Dave Breitenstein, Priority Marketing, Da**@***************ng.com, 239-267-2638 or 239-317-5424 (cell)
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