[PHOTOSTORY 4: STRUGGLE]: Feeding Fort Myers, Florida

 By: Makenna Skipper

A Harry Chapin Food Bank truck is parked in a school lot in Fort Myers, FL, ready for a mobile pantry distribution. The food bank, which feeds more than a quarter-million people each month across Southwest Florida, brought this delivery to help families in need on Saturday, June 14. 

A group of volunteers stands ready to distribute food during Saturday’s mobile pantry event in Lehigh Acres. Many of these volunteers return week after week, saying they feel called to serve their neighbors in need.

A volunteer wears a red shirt that reads “Volunteers Fighting Hunger For 40 Years” as she prepares for the day’s food distribution. The Harry Chapin Food Bank has been serving Southwest Florida communities since 1983, relying heavily on volunteer efforts like these.

Cars line up outside Harns Marsh Middle School in Lehigh Acres, the site of the mobile food distribution event. The school partnered with the Harry Chapin Food Bank to serve families in need during the summer months when resources are often stretched thin.

Cars begin lining up in the school parking lot nearly two hours before the food distribution begins. Some families arrive early out of fear the supplies will run out before they reach the front of the line.

With their trunks open, cars wait in line as volunteers prepare to load boxes of food into each vehicle. This drive-thru system allows for fast, contactless distribution, ensuring families get the help they need without even leaving their cars.

Bags of fresh corn are bundled and packed into large boxes for distribution at the mobile pantry. Each vehicle receives a variety of produce to help families prepare nutritious meals throughout the week.

Mesh bags filled with fresh bell peppers, eggplants, and zucchinis sit ready for distribution. The mobile pantry prioritizes fresh produce to help families maintain a balanced and healthy diet.

Mesh sacks of russet potatoes are stacked in bulk, awaiting volunteers for distribution. Potatoes are a filling, shelf-stable staple that many families rely on to stretch their meals through the week.

Frozen bags of chicken drumsticks are boxed and ready to be handed out to families during the food drive. Providing a source of protein is vital for food security, and meat is often one of the hardest items for struggling families to afford.

Boxes of lemonade jugs sit on pallets, ready to be handed out alongside other essential food items. While not a necessity, drinks like this are often donated and appreciated as a refreshing bonus for families in the Florida heat.

Volunteers and staff work together to unload pallets of food from a Feeding America truck early Saturday morning. Multiple trucks arrived throughout the day, each carrying thousands of pounds of goods to meet overwhelming community demand.

Volunteers gather in a circle for a morning briefing before the food distribution begins. Leaders review safety procedures, assign stations, and remind the group that every box handed out represents a family in need.

A volunteer holds up a sign indicating the number of people in the household after speaking with the driver. This simple system helps other volunteers know exactly how much food to load into each vehicle, ensuring families receive the right amount.

Volunteers load food into the back of an SUV as part of a steady, double-lane operation. With practiced coordination, two cars were served every 20 seconds, helping the team serve hundreds of families in just over an hour.

A volunteer interacts with the driver of a flatbed tow truck as part of the food distribution process. The event welcomed people of all ages, backgrounds, and vehicles, demonstrating that food insecurity doesn’t discriminate.

An empty produce box sits at the edge of the distribution line, signaling that supplies have been fully depleted. Despite best efforts, food ran out in just over an hour, with nearly 800 families served and dozens turned away.

Volunteers rush to load the last available boxes of food into one of the final cars in line. This red sedan was among the last fortunate vehicles to receive aid before the supplies were completely gone.

Cars linger in the parking lot after the final boxes of food are given away. Volunteers had to turn away the remaining vehicles, offering apologies and resources as supplies ran out earlier than expected.

Volunteers begin breaking down boxes and clearing the parking lot after the last car pulls away. Though tired from hours of work in the sun, many say they’ll be back next time, knowing the impact is worth it.