Annual food drive brings in more than 300,000 pounds for agency

Hard work by both paid and volunteer workers brought in more than the 300,000 pounds of food that the Harry Chapin Food Bank needed this year. The combined 350 Fort Myers/ Cape Coral letter carriers and 350 Harry Chapin Food Bank and postal volunteers brought in at least 305,000 pounds of food during the May 9 National Association of Letter Carriers food drive. Food donated through other post offices in Lee County has not been included in the tally.

The food will be sorted into categories and made available to the 90 participating agencies in Lee County. Each of the agencies has seen increased need from their clients; this need will increase as school lets out for the summer and students don't have access to their weekday meals. The food drive is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. It was the letter carriers' 17th annual collection of food during their regular mail delivery routes. There were eight collection points in Lee County where letter carriers and volunteer drivers dropped off their donated food items.

The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to needy people through a network of nonprofit agencies that serve 20,000 people monthly. The Harry Chapin Food Bank distributes more than 4.25 million pounds of food and other grocery products, valued at more than $7 million, per year.

For more information, call 334-7007 or go to harrychapinfoodbank.org.