The Harry Chapin Food Bank will hold mobile pantries at four upcoming back-to-school open houses Aug. 7 through Aug. 9.
About two-thirds of schoolchildren in Southwest Florida public schools are eligible for or receive free or reduced-price lunches at school. Holding a mobile pantry at the same time parents are attending an open house will let parents know that there are resources available when they may not have enough food to put on the table.
The distributions are also another way to engage parents and guardians to attend the open house.
The food bank will provide clients with mobile pantry dates and times for their community for the school year, along with a list of nearby partner agencies. The mobile pantries are also open to the public.
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The mobile pantries will be held:
- 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7: Franklin Park Elementary, 2323 Ford St., Fort Myers.
- 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 8: Island Coast High School, 2125 De Navarra Parkway, Cape Coral.
- 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8: North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, 1856 Arts Way, North Fort Myers.
- 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9: Harns Marsh Elementary, 1801 Unice Ave. N., Lehigh Acres.
Each mobile pantry can serve up to 250 households per distribution. When the mobile pantry truck arrives, a food bank driver and volunteers open the side doors and arrange an array of fresh produce, canned and dry goods, breads, grains and meat to serve clients. Each household receives 35 to 40 pounds of food.