A local non-profit that helps fight hunger in the area will host its biggest event of the year next week.

Community Cooperative will hold its 23rd annual Sam Galloway, Jr. & Friends Soup Kitchen Benefit on Thursday, March 5, from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Each year, local restaurants prepare and serve a southern-style dinner to several hundred guests at the event held in the service garages of Sam Galloway Ford in Fort Myers. About 150 volunteers, along with 20 area restaurants, help contribute to the event’s success with more than 750 attendees, and supports its mission of ending hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida.

“I think the legacy and the tradition of this event are one of the most unique things,” said Community Cooperative CEO Stefanie Ink Edwards. “It’s all small, local businesses that give back and donate as a part of this event. When (the late) Sam Jr. started this event, he called his honest friends and said, ‘Hey, I want to get just raise some money for the soup kitchen, and I’m gonna have a party in my service garage, and I’ll bring tables and music and you bring a little bit of food and you bring a little bit of food and then we’ll raise money.’ So, pretty neat that the event all these years later, the exact same model.”

The benefit has grown tremendously over the years. Ink Edwards remember once upon a time, they hit 500 attendees and last year, had more than 750 attendees. She this year that number will be suppressed. 

“It is probably one of the biggest fundraising events, people wise, here in Southwest Florida,” Ink Edwards said. “And it’s definitely the most unique because it’s the only one held in a garage the way that it is.”

All funds raised during the event will go back to the community through Community Cooperative’s impactful programs, including Meals on Wheels of Southwest Florida, Sam’s Community Cafe & Kitchen, Community Market, Mobile Food Pantries, Social Services & Educational Resource Centers and Growing Healthy Kids & Families Program.

“I have extremely high hopes,” Ink Edwards said of the event. “Just, you know, running a nonprofit and the work that we do, the demand is ever increasing. The cost of food to meet that demand and keep up with all of our programs is also ever increasing. We’ve got to keep chasing that fundraising dollar to meet the need.”

Community Cooperative serves Southwest Florida through a comprehensive approach to addressing hunger and homelessness. Through emergency food outreach, meal delivery to older adults and supportive services, the organization works to meet immediate needs while helping neighbors move toward stability. As economic pressures continue to impact children, families and individuals across the region, Community Cooperative remains focused on ensuring help is accessible, compassionate, and responsive.

Ink Edwards said looking at some of Community Cooperative’s program numbers from 2025 to 2024 and into the new year, many of them are up substantially. 

“I always say our community here in Southwest Florida is ever growing,” she said. “We have more and more people moving here and babies being born and people are retiring. And there’s not more community cooperatives popping up on every corner. As our community grows, the demands for support grows, too.”

Tickets to the benefit are $250 for an individual seat at a table with a buffet-style served dinner. The event will feature 20 local businesses and individuals who have donated food, beverages and support to help execute the event.

“That’s what makes this event successful, is all of the small business owners that support us in the work that we do,” Ink Edwards said. “And of course, our volunteers and our supporters and our staff then turn around and support them. Southwest Florida is so interesting with just the way that generosity builds generosity, and a lot of these guys who, you know, donate to us see tremendous support from the community because of that. They’re doing such great work and giving back to help us raise money that people want to go and support their small businesses, too.”

Donors include: 

Appetizers — Chris and Kaitlin Whitaker of Garden Goddess & LYNQ and Chef Harold Balink of Harold’s & Vybe.

Garden salad — Will Prather and Maureen Green-Prather of Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.

The main course includes a plethora of dishes from smoked pork to southern fried shrimp and cheese grits.

BBQ chicken and green beans — Vickie and Andre Jones of Jonesez BBQ; smoked pork and swamp cabbage — Wesley Hansen Jr., and Deanna Hansen; meatloaf and mashed potatoes — Sam’s Community Cafe & Kitchen; smoked brisket and baked beans — Mike Gavala, Wally Thomas and Brian Gear of Nevermind Awesome Bar & Eatery; southern fried shrimp and cheese grits — Tim and Healy Yoa of Artisan Eatery; collard greens, okra and tomatoes — Chip and Betsy Barnwell of The Farmer’s Market Restaurant and mac and cheese — Chef Calcedonio and Genevieve Bruno of Bruno’s of Brooklyn.

The desserts are donated by Norman Love Confections; Sandy Stilwell Youngquist of Keylime Bistro and Uncle Charlie’s Cookies Ministry.

The beverages are donated by Mast Family Culligan; the Mitchell Family of Suncoast Beverage; The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon and Seed & Bean Market.

As for what makes Community Cooperative so impactful, Ink Edwards said, “We have a governing board that is made up of local individuals who are in the neighborhoods that we serve, who understand our community, and understand the uniqueness of the Southwest Florida community. They also give me the autonomy to run our organization, to meet the need as we need to. The adaptability and the flexibility of the organization is what makes us successful.

“Our mission hasn’t changed in four decades plus, but how we meet that mission and how we serve people is constantly evolving. And that’s what makes us successful.”

For those thinking about an organization to donate to, Ink Edwards said Community Cooperative directly impacts those here locally. 

“We all live here, right? We’re all neighbors. So I really like to talk to people and remind them that of the clients that we serve through all of our programs could be your child or your grandchild’s teacher,” she said. “It could be that nursing assistant that took your blood pressure this morning, and if they’re struggling and they sort of need a hand up, I don’t think somebody’s going to want their blood pressure taken by someone who is in crisis and worried about keeping food on their table. Especially when life happens, right? And that’s mostly what we will see is working individuals who are just having a hard time making ends need, and then something happens, whether it’s a medical issue or rent goes up, or a water pump on a car goes out unexpectedly. There’s now an extra expense that somebody wasn’t prepared for. That’s where we step in to sort of help bridge the gap, if you will, and give them a hand up. It’s not about the handout.”

For more information on Community Cooperative, and for tickets to the benefit, visit CommunityCooperative.com.

Sam Galloway Ford is at 1800 Boy Scout Drive in Fort Myers.

To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com