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September's 'Hunger Action Month' Sees Fresh Urgency after Hurricane Irma

Photo: Harry Chapin Food Bank via Facebook.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank organized relief after Hurricane Irma through their emergency mobile food pantry in North Fort Myers.

Feeding America, the nation's largest network of food banks, has spent September promoting awareness of Hunger Action Month while simultaneously addressing the acute need for food and water in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Locally, the Harry Chapin Food Bank is raising awareness and mobilize volunteers to contribute to the fight against hunger in Southwest Florida, a struggle driving calls for donations, food drives, and emergency distributions to help those left hungry by the storm.

Richard LeBer, CEO of the Harry Chapin Food Bank, joins Gulf Coast Live to discuss what his organization is doing to mark September as "Hunger Action Month," and the renewed urgency in Southwest Florida for food security and hunger relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
Also joining Gulf Coast Live is longtime food bank volunteer Maureen Yuster joins Gulf Coast Live to share her experience as a volunteer with more than 1,000 hours over the past nine years with the food bank, and what motivates her to dedicate her time and energy to helping those get enough to eat.
Also joining the show is Samantha Lloyd, the coordinator for the FGCU Campus Food Pantry, to share her own personal experiences with using food pantries and her work with students facing food insecurity.

 

Matthew Smith is a reporter and producer of WGCU’s Gulf Coast Live.