CHARLOTTE COUNTY HUNGRY RECEIVED OVER ONE AND 1/2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD IN 2010 FROM THE HARRY CHAPIN FOOD BANK
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Mobile Food Pantry to Be Located
In Punta Gorda on August 15
At least 27 non-profit food pantries and community service organizations in Charlotte County are partners with the Harry Chapin Food Bank. In 2010, these 27 local food organizations received 1,515,615 pounds of food from the regional Harry Chapin Food Bank food bank, which serves 170 non-profit agencies in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry can be seen throughout Southwest Florida, making food distributions to those in need. It will be distributing food at St. Vincent de Paul-Punta Gorda on Monday, August
The Harry Chapin Food Bank has been serving Charlotte County agencies for 17 years and exists to provide food for the agencies it serves; it does not
provide direct distribution to families in need. Charlotte County agencies include church pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and programs serving the
needs of children and seniors.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry will be at St. Vincent de Paul-Punta Gorda, Cross Street and U.S. 41S, the 3rd Monday every month. The next distribution is Monday, August 15, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. There is no need to pre-register.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank has increased food distribution to its partner agencies in Charlotte County by nearly 179% since fiscal year 2007-2008. In just the past fiscal year, the food bank distributed 1,778,658 lbs. of food to Charlotte County with a monetary value of $2,952,572.28. In fiscal year 2007-2008, Charlotte County received 638,087 pounds of food; in 2008-2009, it was 761,383 pounds; and in 2009-2010, 1,113,480 pounds. The partner-agencies in Charlotte County distributed 289,516 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables in the past fiscal year. This represents an increase of 98% over fiscal year 2009-2010.
All foods collected during food drives are inspected before being distributed to the partner agencies. Partner agencies do not pay for any food collected during food drives, this includes Publix and Sweetbay food drives.
Charlotte County partner agencies with the Harry Chapin Food Bank include, Adventist Community Services, Amikids Crossroads, C.H.A.P.S., Charlotte County Homeless Coalition, Community Resource Center, Cooper Street Recreation Center, Discipleship Driven Ministries, Edgewater United Methodist Church, Englewood East Church of Christ, First Baptist Church/Horn of Plenty, First Church of the Nazarene, First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, and Friendship United Methodist Church.
Others are Gator Wilderness Camp School, Good Samaritans of Charlotte County, Mission Unity, Port Charlotte Church of Christ, Remnant Seed Ministries, Inc., Seventh-Day Adventist Community Services, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Vincent DePaul-Port -Charlotte, St. Vincent DePaul-Punta Gorda, St. Vincent de Paul-St. Maximilian, St. Vincent DePaul-Community Health Care, Trinity Baptist Church of Punta Gorda, and Trinity United Methodist Church.
To receive food from the food bank, agencies must be a 501(c)3 non-profit; they cannot charge the recipients for the food they give them, must adhere to safe and sanitary storage of food, maintain proper temperature for refrigerated, frozen and perishable food, and keep distribution records. The Harry Chapin Food Bank holds quarterly agency meetings to provide information to these agencies and learn what their needs may be. The only reason the Harry Chapin Food Bank exists is to obtain food for its partner agencies. The food bank does not serve individuals. After Hurricane Charley in 2004, the Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed millions of pounds of disaster food and beverages, diapers, and cleaning supplies, providing disaster recovery in Charlotte County for two years.
Locally, 14 refrigerated trucks pick up products from 141 retail stores such as Publix, Sweetbay, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Costco. They drop off produce bins at local farms and bring back the culls of tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, watermelons, and other fruit and vegetables. Bread is brought in from local bakeries. Food is delivered to the partner agencies in Charlotte County every two weeks.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank warehouse is a 48,000-square-foot facility with 38,000 cubic feet of refrigeration and freezer. This provides the partner agencies not only with canned and dry goods, but also frozen meat and other products. In addition, the Harry Chapin Food Bank at times has laundry soap, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, and personal hygiene items.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, which is based in Chicago; they are the liaison between food manufacturers and 210 food banks across the United States, all of which are independent 501(3)c organizations. They all share the same standards of food safety, record keeping, refrigeration, and accountability to food donors. There are 16 Feeding American affiliates in the State of Florida and collectively cover all 67 counties in Florida.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank has been honored with certification from the prestigious AIB International (American Institute of Baking), which recognizes companies that have exemplified quality in their goods, outstanding food safety and sanitary working conditions in their facilities, and exemplary training for employees regarding how to properly handle food products
Through its affiliation with Feeding America, the Harry Chapin Food Bank is able to bring in tractor trailer loads of donated product from other parts of the country with only paying the freight and any value added cost such as paying for potatoes to be bagged and not just to have 40,000 pounds delivered loose.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank is a non-profit organization whose funding comes from local fund raising programs, events, and grant writing to keep the building going and the trucks on the road. The food bank maintains an up-to-date inventory, which is on line. Partner agencies place their orders and it is either picked up or delivered to them.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to families in need through a network of more than 186 local nonprofit agencies in Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties, who provide food to more than 30,000 people monthly. Over 1 million pounds of food are distributed 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 12 million pounds of food and other grocery products.
Non-profits not currently a partner agency with the Harry Chapin Food Bank should contact Suzanne Foster at the food bank for affiliation requirements. Additional information or to set up a tour of the Food Bank, contact Joyce Jacobs 239-334-7007, ext. 130 E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .