Publix donates millions of pounds of food to Harry Chapin food bank

Reporter: Gina Tomlinson
Published: Updated:

Volunteers and officials with the Harry Chapin Food Bank are working to feed families who need it most.

At some grocery stores many items go to waste. But at Publix, they’re striving to keep what they put on shelves from ever going in the garbage.

Throughout the day, employees are boxing up what’s no longer sellable and giving it back to those who need it most.

“The average shopper has no idea that this is occurring.” says Brian West, Publix media manager. “Since 2009 we developed a formal relationship with Feeding America. And so, since then we’ve donated more than 300 million pounds of product.”

The food is then put on trucks to be carried off and sorted at the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

Jennifer Shank of Fort Myers says food is expensive nowadays, “…so for them to actually give back it’s wonderful.”

Shank’s has six kids and is one of many that utilize the food bank in Fort Myers. She says, “These pantries and places that help us with food, it’s wonderful because I’ll probably be to the point to where they’re starving if I don’t have help.”

Publix is just one of the stores in Southwest Florida involved in Harry Chapin’s pick-up program “Rescuing food from retailers.”

97 cents of every dollar donated to Harry Chapin is handed out in food.

11th Annual ‘WINK Feeds Families Hunger Walk’ scheduled for January 19

Starting January 19, 2019, enjoy a meal and help feed others in need. Southwest Florida restaurants are helping the WINK Feeds Families Hunger Walk this year by donating proceeds from their businesses to help others.

The Hunger Walk is the largest anti-hunger event in Southwest Florida, with this past January’s event raising $319,000. The goal this year is to raise $300,000.

All you have to do, is visit their restaurants and you’re helping your neighbors in need.

This is the 11th year WINK has partnered with our community to feed those in need in Southwest Florida.

For every dollar we raise, the Harry Chapin Food Bank can turn that into $8 worth of food.

The walk will take place on January 19, at Miromar Outlet Mall in Estero.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30 a.m.

For more information on the walk or to donate go to WINKHungerWalk.com.

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