Lee County Solid Waste announces the return of its ninth annual “Donated not Wasted” campaign, a three-week initiative designed to reduce food waste and fight hunger in Lee County. The campaign encourages seasonal residents to donate unopened, nonperishable food items before returning north for the summer.
From Monday, March 23, through Monday, April 6, the campaign partners with the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Waste Pro, Lee County Parks & Recreation, Lee County Domestic Animal Services, the Lee County Library System and two additional municipal libraries to ensure leftover food is collected and delivered to residents in need.
Since its inception in 2017, “Donated not Wasted” has diverted more than 38,700 pounds of food from disposal, providing more than 32,200 meals to residents. This effort not only supports those facing food insecurity but also helps reduce unnecessary waste in the county landfill.
High-demand items include canned meats and fish, fruit (cups, canned or dried), peanut butter, breakfast cereals, oatmeal, instant mashed potatoes (boxed), macaroni and cheese (boxed), rice, canned vegetables, soups and dry beans.
“We are grateful to Lee County Solid Waste and all of the partners who make this campaign possible each year,” said Richard LeBer, president/CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank. “By redirecting perfectly good food to families who need it, this effort helps fight hunger while reducing waste in our community.”
Residents can drop off unopened pantry items at 20 convenient designated collection sites throughout the county.
Drop off locations include:
Parks facilities/recreation centers
• Estero Recreation Center – 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero, FL 33928
• North Fort Myers Recreation Center – 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center – 7791 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33966
• Veterans Park Recreation Center – 55 Homestead Road S., Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
• Wa-Ke-Hatchee Recreation Center – 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908
Library locations
• Bonita Springs Public Library – 10560 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs, FL 34135
• Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library – 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33914
• Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library – 3095 Blount St., Fort Myers, FL 33916
• East County Regional Library – 881 Gunnery Road, N., Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
• Fort Myers Beach Public Library – 2755 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
• Fort Myers Regional Library (South Building) – 1651 Lee St., Fort Myers, FL 33901
• Lakes Regional Library – 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33919
• North Fort Myers Public Library – 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
• Northwest Regional Library – 519 Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral, FL 33993
• Pine Island Public Library – 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922
• Riverdale Public Library – 2421 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers, FL 33905
• Sanibel Public Library – 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, FL 33957
• South County Regional Library – 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero, FL 33928
Additional locations
• Household Chemical Waste and Electronics Recycling – 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers, FL 33966
• Along with pantry items, household chemical waste is accepted for free. Items include paint, pesticides, motor oil, fuel and rechargeable batteries.
• Lee County Domestic Animal Services – 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33912
• Along with pantry items, unopened dog and cat food (dry and canned) also are accepted.
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