Unopened pantry items that might otherwise go to waste will be collected beginning March 18 as part of Lee County Solid Waste’s seventh annual “Donated not Wasted” food rescue campaign.
The effort encourages seasonal residents and visitors to donate the listed items before returning north. Since the program’s inception, more than 31,100 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank – enough food to provide more than 25,900 meals to residents.
The effort is a joint operation between Lee County Solid Waste, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Waste Pro, the Lee County Library System, the Sanibel Public Library and Lee County Parks & Recreation.
To help, drop off unopened canned or dry goods from Monday, March 18, to Monday, April 1, at open libraries or Lee County recreation centers.
Additional collection containers are at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center and Lee County Solid Waste’s Topaz Court Facility. Visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste/donated-not-wasted for the full list of collection sites or call 239-533-8000 for more information.
Drop off locations include:
Recreation Centers
- Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero, FL 33928
- North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
- Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
Library locations
- Bonita Springs Public Library, 10560 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs, FL 34135
- Captiva Memorial Library, 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva, FL 33924
- Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library, 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914
- Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon Public Library, 3095 Blount St., Fort Myers, FL 33916
- East County Regional Library, 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
- Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901
- Johann Fust Community Library, 1040 W. 10th St., Boca Grande, FL 33921
- Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 3919
- North Fort Myers Public Library, 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
- Northwest Regional Library, 519 N. Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral, FL 33993
- Pine Island Public Library, 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922
- Riverdale Public Library, 2421 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers, FL 33928
- Sanibel Public Library, 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, FL 33957
- South County Regional Library, 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero, FL 33928
Others
- Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center, 7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33966
- Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex, 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers, FL 33966
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