Donate don’t waste

Snowbirds are asked to drop off food before heading north

People planning their trips up north can take a simple step to help the hungry in Southwest Florida.

Lee County Solid Waste is kicking off its “Donated not Wasted” food campaign. The campaign encourages seasonal residents and visitors to donate unopened pantry items before leaving Southwest Florida.

Since the program’s inception, more than 31,100 pounds of food has been diverted from potential disposal and sent to the Harry Chapin Food Bank — enough food to provide more than 25,900 meals to residents.

Lee County Solid Waste, Harry Chapin Food Bank, Waste Pro, the Lee County Library System, the Sanibel Public Library and Lee County Parks & Recreation are partnering in this effort to help route food that might otherwise end up in the waste stream to the county’s population of people in need.

To help, drop off unopened canned or dry goods from now until Monday, April 1, at open libraries or Lee County recreation centers. Additional collection containers are at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center and Lee County Solid Waste’s Topaz Court Facility. Visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste/donated-not-wasted for the full list of collection sites or call 239- 533-8000 for more information.

Drop off locations include:

Recreation Centers

¦ Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero

¦ North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers

¦ Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres

Library locations

¦ Bonita Springs Public Library, 10560 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs

¦ Captiva Memorial Library, 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva

¦ 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 Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers

¦ Johann Fust Community Library, 1040 W. 10th St., Boca Grande

¦ Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers

¦ North Fort Myers Public Library, 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers

¦ Northwest Regional Library, 519 N. 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

Others

¦ Six Mile Cypress Slough Interpretive Center, 7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers

¦ Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex, 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers ¦

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