Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, Inc.

The Care and Share Senior Feeding Program is an application-only program that aims to supplement the diets of a caseload of 2,200 seniors with low incomes with food that meets their nutritional needs in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties. We work with selected partner agencies and senior housing sites to not only identify participants but also to serve as distribution centers for the program. Monthly, these seniors are provided food kits that contain easy-to-prepare foods, cheese, shelf-stable fruits and vegetables, proteins, grains, and milk. When possible, we supplement the food kits with fresh produce and perishable foods.

Care and Share Senior Feeding Program sites are researched and recruited based on area of need and capacity to maintain an assigned caseload.

Success for the program is measured by meeting our outcomes of annually distributing 26,400 kits to a caseload of 2,200 seniors in Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties.

Our In-School Pantry Program follows an evidence-based system that alleviates child hunger through food distribution at carefully selected schools. This nationally acclaimed food distribution model, taken from Feeding America, is designed to provide an accessible source of food assistance to students and their families. Harry Chapin Food Bank stocks the pantries with shelf-stable foods. Students and their families have easier access to food assistance and feel more comfortable acquiring food assistance in this manner due to the familiarity with the site locations.

Due to the pandemic, schools are facing strict restrictions and limiting access on-site. Distributions have become challenging to execute, and at times are not feasible.

The program will be considered successful based on our ability to sustain and support current pantries as resources for schools and families to connect and work together. Success is measured by the total number of pounds distributed and individuals served.

Our Partner Agency Program is a multi-faceted food distribution program designed to serve our five-county footprint. The program relies on a vetted network of partner agencies, including social service agencies, faith-based congregations, nonprofits, and community organizations. As trusted extensions of our mission, we provide our partner agencies roughly 70% of their food inventory.

The Partner Agency Program is our largest food distribution program, comprising of nearly two-thirds of our total distribution and has the broadest reach. By making food readily available throughout our five-county footprint, it reduces barriers that most families face as they struggle with food insecurity.

Success for the program is measured by the total number of pounds of food and fresh produce distributed and the number of individuals served. Additionally, we measure the number of partner agencies, food distribution sites, and the frequency of distributions.

Harry’s Helpings is an innovative feeding program that provides supplemental food kits for families at childcare and early education centers where traditional food pantry distribution models are not feasible due to space constraints, lack of adequate staffing or other barriers. These educational centers serve as trusted community resources for families, and teachers are often the figures who become aware of a child’s health struggles, including food insecurity. Harry’s Helpings kits are filled with enough nutritious, shelf-stable food to provide meals for five days for a family of four. They may include canned vegetables and canned meat, cereal, dry pastas, boxed macaroni and cheese, soups and stews, peanut butter, jelly, rice and beans.

Success in the program is measured by the total number of pounds distributed through food kits and the number of individuals served.