Harry Chapin Food Bank shows you where Giving Tuesday money goes

Giving Tuesday is just about over, but it is never too late to donate to your favorite charity. A question many people have is where exactly does the money and donations go? The Harry Chapin Food Bank gave us a tour on Tuesday to tell you how it benefits the community.

There is no doubt that holiday cheer makes you want to give to people who need it the most.

“I just love seeing a smile on everyone’s faces,” said Shelly Solmos, who lives in Naples.

“It makes you feel good,” Noah Morgan, a Naples resident, said.

Greg Clancy, the major gift officer at Harry Chapin, said giving Tuesday came about as a way to remind people problems, such as hunger, do not go away during the holiday season.

A way to make sure organizations put your money to good use is by doing a little research before you donate.

You can help us feed Southwest Florida’s families by donating to the WINK Feed Families Hunger Walk that benefits Harry Chapin. The walk is on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Miromar Outlets in Estero.

For Harry Chapin, each dollar you give to the non-profit goes towards $8 in food. On Giving Tuesday, it raised over $20,000 to help feed about 150,000 people in our area.

“Here in Collier County, 10% of the county is food insecure, 1/8th children,” Clancy said, “which is pretty shocking when you drive around Naples and see all of the extraordinary houses, but hunger is everywhere.”

Ninty-six percent of the money donated goes directly towards feeding hungry people.

“We are in many ways a bridge to help people make ends meet,” Clancy said. “That need is there. It’s there 365 days a year.”