Turn pantry cleanouts into meals in Lee County

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

If you’re getting ready to leave Southwest Florida for the season, here’s a simple way to do some good before you go. Lee County’s Solid Waste Division is bringing back its annual “Donated not Wasted” campaign for the ninth year. It's all about turning unused pantry items into meals for people who need them.

As food and gas prices continue to rise, more families are struggling to put food on the table. The government shutdown has also left many people with no income to buy the things they need.

Irma Lancaster, director of communication and marketing for Harry Chapin Food Bank, noted the significant increase for help. "We also have families that are making the decision of food versus medicine. Some families are taking half of their pills or half of their dosage because they're not able to pay for their prescriptions right now," Lancaster said.

The campaign runs March 23 through April 6 and makes it easy to donate unopened, nonperishable food instead of tossing it out.

Shelf-stable foods that are easy to store and distribute are the best kinds of food to donate. Things like canned meats and fish, fruit cups or dried fruit, peanut butter, cereal, oatmeal, boxed meals, rice, beans, soups, and canned vegetables are all great options, as long as they’re unopened.

A couple of locations will take more than just food. The Household Chemical Waste and Electronics Recycling site also accepts items like paint, motor oil, and batteries, while Lee County Domestic Animal Services will take unopened dog and cat food.

Drop-off Locations:

• Estero Recreation Center- 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero
• North Fort Myers Recreation Center- 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center- 7791 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers
• Veterans Park Recreation Center- 55 Homestead Road S., Lehigh Acres
• Wa-Ke-Hatchee Recreation Center- 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers
• Bonita Springs Public Library- 10560 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs
• Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library- 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral
• Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library- 3095 Blount St., Fort Myers
• East County Regional Library- 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres
• Fort Myers Beach Public Library- 2755 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach
• Fort Myers Regional Library (South Building)- 1651 Lee St., Fort Myers
• Lakes Regional Library- 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers
• North Fort Myers Public Library- 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers
• Northwest Regional Library- 519 Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral
• Pine Island Public Library- 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia
• Riverdale Public Library- 2421 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers
• Sanibel Public Library- 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel
• South County Regional Library- 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero
• Household Chemical Waste and Electronics Recycling- 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers
• Lee County Domestic Animal Services- 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers

Even a few extra items can go a long way. Instead of throwing them out, drop them off and help make a difference in your community. Monetary donations to local food banks and pantries are another great way to help.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.