The need for food assistance remained vital for many in Southwest Florida in 2024 as evidenced by a more than 10 percent increase in food distribution — more than 4 million pounds — reported by the Harry Chapin Food Bank.
Additionally, Chapin reported large upticks in several children-focused food distribution programs.
Chapin's distribution of 39.5 million pounds of food through its Feeding Network in 2024 equates to an additional 3 million meals served to neighbors across Southwest Florida.
The nonprofit’s 2024 Community Impact Report documented growth in food distributions across all five counties it serves:
- Charlotte: From 5.1 to 5.2 million pounds (+2%)
- Collier: From 12 to 12.6 million pounds (+5%)
- Glades: From 670,000 to 700,000 pounds (+5%)
- Hendry: From 2 million to 2.5 million pounds (+25%)
- Lee: From 15.9 to 18.4 million pounds (+16%)
“Despite tremendous commercial growth and affluence in Southwest Florida, the hunger crisis is growing in our community,” said Richard LeBer, president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank. “So many of our neighbors – children, seniors, veterans and others — do not have reliable access to healthy, nutritious food, and it’s our mission to lead this community in the fight to end hunger.”
Chapin reported it serves 250,000 neighbors monthly through a Feeding Network that includes agency partners and programs across all five counties.
The 2024 Community Impact Report also reported:
- 5,900 volunteers provided 79,000 hours of time, the equivalent of $2.5 million through in-kind service.
- Chapin provided 511 health and nutrition educational courses.
- 96% of support funded programs and services; just 4% of revenue was directed toward administrative costs.
- Fresh produce accounted for 10.5 million of the 39.5 million pounds of food distributed in 2024.
Two food distribution programs focusing on children saw large year-over-year spikes.
Harry’s Helpings, which provides supplemental food kits for families through education providers, agency partners, community events and community centers, distributed 261,000 pounds of food in 2024, a 31.2% increase over the prior year.
The In-School Pantry Program, which supplies shelf-stable foods to families through school pantries, distributed 741,000 pounds of food last year, a 28.2% year-over-year increase.
The 2024 Community Impact Report is available to view and download at online.fliphtml5.com/harrychapinfoodbank/tqis.
About the Harry Chapin Food Bank
Harry Chapin Food Bank, a Feeding America partner food bank, is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Florida and serves 250,000 neighbors monthly through its Feeding Network of 175 agency partners. In 2024, the nonprofit distributed 39.5 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 32 million meals, at food banks and mobile pantries across Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. The Food Bank is privately funded and receives support from individuals, businesses, foundations, grocery stores and food distributors. Harry Chapin Food Bank is an Agency Partner of United Way and a Blueprint Partner of the Naples Children & Education Foundation, rated as a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum-rated by Candid’s GuideStar. For more information, please visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org or call 239-334-7007.
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