Harry Chapin Food Bank CEO Richard LeBer (right) and Chief Development Officer Stuart Haniff (left) present representatives from the Copperleaf Charitable Foundation with a gold record in recognition of being named the February 2024 Donor of the Month. PROVIDED

Harry Chapin Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in Southwest Florida, is honored and excited to announce it has named the Copperleaf Charitable Foundation the Donor of the Month for February 2024. Harry Chapin Food Bank presented community leaders with the recognition during their fourth annual hunger walk on Jan. 27.

“We are thrilled that Copperleaf is our first community to be named Donor of the Month. Their incredible partnership exemplifies the monumental difference a dedicated group of residents can make when they join together in support of an important cause,” said Stuart Haniff, the chief development officer at Harry Chapin Food Bank. “Copperleaf members have proven time and time again that they are committed to ensuring that no one in Southwest Florida has to go hungry and their resolute support is vital to the fulfillment of our mission.”

Since 2021, the Copperleaf Charitable Foundation has hosted a walk to end hunger. Approximately 250 people participated in the walk, which raised $60,000 for the food bank. The food bank also received a dollar-for-dollar match for up to $10,000 raised during the walk.

The Copperleaf Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes funds for food, education and healthcare for the benefit of local charities and Copperleaf Golf Club’s surrounding community.

According to Feeding America, more than 135,250 people in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties faced food insecurity in 2021. Approximately 32,200 of those people lived in Collier County, and 7,110 of those 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.

Recent honorees include:

• November – Florida Blue

• December – Walmart

• January – Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation

Now in its 40th year, Harry Chapin Food Bank feeds more than 250,000 people each month through a variety of food distribution programs.

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.

The food bank’s membership with Feeding America enables it to amplify its 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.