Harry Chapin Food Bank made a real dent in hunger in 2025, handing out 38.7 million pounds of food across Southwest Florida. That’s not just a number; it’s meals on tables, fresh produce in kitchens, and a third of a million people getting the help they need every month.
Look behind the scenes, and you’ll find volunteers packing boxes for the Care and Share Senior Feeding Program. Monthly, that support helps 2,600 older adults. The food bank delivered more food than ever, including 12 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, a 14.3% uptick from last year. You can see the impact county by county:
Lee County received 19 million pounds, which works out to about 22.6 pounds per person. Collier County got 11.5 million pounds (27.8 per person). Charlotte County saw 5.2 million pounds (23.3 per person). Hendry County, with a smaller population, received 2.2 million pounds, nearly 47 pounds for every resident. Glades County topped the list at 54 pounds per person with 705,200 pounds distributed.
President and CEO Richard LeBer puts it best: “When we think about this past year, we don’t see numbers… we see faces. A mom finally able to fill her cart after losing hours at work. A kid grinning at the sight of food in their backpack for the weekend. The quiet ‘thank you’ from a senior who doesn’t have to choose between medicine and dinner anymore.”
Harry Chapin Food Bank is the only Feeding America partner in the region, and it’s the largest hunger-relief group in Southwest Florida. Food gets to where it’s needed through agency partners, mobile pantries, mobile markets, and programs like Harry’s Helpings for kids or Care and Share for seniors.
Beyond food distribution, the Food Bank offered 556 health and nutrition classes in 2025. Those classes reached 1,687 seniors, 1,200 adults, and 417 kids. None of this happens without volunteers; 4,300 of them chipped in 49,000 hours, which adds up to $1.5 million in donated time.
For a complete look at the 2025 Impact Report, check it out at online.fliphtml5.com/harrychapinfoodbank/25-impact-report.
As the region’s largest hunger-relief organization, Harry Chapin Food Bank serves nearly 300,000 neighbors each month in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. They’re a proud Feeding America partner, a United Way Agency Partner, a Blueprint Partner of the Naples Children Foundation, and they’ve earned top marks from Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Want to help or learn more? Visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org or call 239-334-7007.
