Harry Chapin Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in Southwest Florida, is honored and thrilled to announce it has named WINK Feeds Families as the Donor of the Month for March 2024.

“We are thrilled to recognize WINK Feeds Families as our Donor of the Month. This partnership not only supports Harry Chapin Food Bank by raising critical funds to support our work during the annual March to a Million Meals campaign, but also amplifies our vision and mission of ending hunger in Southwest Florida,” said Stuart Haniff, the chief development officer at Harry Chapin Food Bank. “We are grateful for the unwavering support of WINK News and its leadership team, who have shown time and time again that they are committed to ensuring no one goes hungry in our community.”

Held each year in February, the WINK Feeds Families March to a Million Meals raises awareness and funds for Harry Chapin Food Bank. Every dollar collected during the campaign equals $2 in meals to Harry Chapin Food Bank.  

In 2024, the initiative exceeded its goal, raising funds for nearly 1.4 million meals.

"WINK News viewers are so generous and won't let anyone go to bed hungry,” said Lois Thome, WINK News anchor. “Year after year they make donations to help feed their neighbors in need. It is so gratifying to be part of such a caring, community-wide event to help others."

According to Feeding America, more than 135,250 people in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties faced food insecurity in 2021. Approximately 30,000 of those people were children. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle.

Established in 2023, the Harry Chapin Food Bank Donor of the Month recognition honors donors, organizations, foundations and individuals who go above and beyond in their support for Harry Chapin Food Bank.

Now in its 40th year, Harry Chapin Food Bank currently feeds approximately 300,000 individuals, including about 105,000 children, throughout its five-county region.

For more information about the Wink Feeds Families campaign or to learn more about Harry Chapin Food Bank, visit harrychapinfoodbank.org.

About Harry Chapin Food Bank

Harry Chapin Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Florida. The food bank rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and distributes it to children, families, and seniors who are hungry through a series of food distribution programs that feed more than a quarter of a million people each month.

Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed $61.5 million worth of food in fiscal year 2022. Through our food distribution programs, we supplied 34.7 million pounds of food and other grocery items, including 12 million pounds of fresh produce. The food is the equivalent of 29 million meals distributed to those who are hungry.

Our membership with Feeding America enables us to amplify our food and distribution efforts and bring in food from various retail and grocery stores, national food producers and distributors, and growers locally, nationally, and even internationally.

Harry Chapin Food Bank is proud to be named a Blueprint Partner by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival. Harry Chapin Food Bank is also a United Way partner agency. For more information or to make a gift, please call 239.334.7007 or visit harrychapinfoodbank.org.