A Fort Myers food bank is calling on snow birds to help feed hungry people in our area using food you'd likely throw out before heading back home.
Two different campaigns that have the same goal in mind to collect food donations for the Harry Chapin Food Bank in Lee County right now. Fox 4 is helping the food bank with this effort called "Donated Not Wasted" campaign. The campaign runs until April 2nd.
The food bank is also getting ready for the "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive in May which is the food bank's biggest food drive.
They are encouraging people who live here seasonally and are getting ready to head back north, or head back overseas to donate right now. Many of these families have non-perishable groceries they may leave down here in their pantries for months or even just throw away. Instead, organizers ask you to leave them at your local library, recreation center or post office.The donations collected at the post office will then be included in the country's largest single day food drive.
The National Association of Letter Carriers is organizing the drive. It's one day every year mail carriers across the country go around and pick up those donations.
Locally, the Harry Chapin Food Bank and the United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee counties partner with the letter carriers to make the food drive happen.They bring in volunteers to help collect the food, sort through it and then distribute it.
Last year, more than 300 thousand pounds of food was donated.
