Harry Chapin Food Bank holds mobile pantries at school open houses

The Harry Chapin Food Bank is holding mobile pantries at four upcoming back-to-school open houses Aug. 7 through Aug. 9.

About two-thirds of schoolchildren in Southwest Florida public schools were eligible for or receive free or reduced-price lunches at school in 2017.

Holding a mobile pantry at the same time parents are attending an open house will let parents know that there are resources available when they may not have enough food to put on the table.

The distributions are also another way to engage parents and guardians to attend the open house.

Pantries are on Aug. 7 to Aug.9 at the following locations:

• 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday: Franklin Park Elementary, 2323 Ford St., Fort Myers.
• 4 to 6 p.m., Wednesday: Island Coast High School, 2125 De Navarra Pkwy, Cape Coral.
• 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday: North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, 1856 Arts
  Way, North Fort Myers.
• 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday: Harns Marsh Elementary, 1801 Unice Ave. N., Lehigh Acres.

Each mobile pantry can serve up to 250 households per distribution. When the mobile pantry truck arrives, a food bank driver and volunteers open the side doors and arrange an array of fresh produce, canned and dry goods, breads, grains and meat to serve people. Each household receives 35 to 40 pounds of food.