The proceeds started to be given locally to the
Harry Chapin Food Bank, and the Steve Chapin
Band started playing. The name of the food bank
came from Harry Chapin, a cinematographer,
playwright, poet, songwriter and ardent advocate
who always fought for what he saw as injustices in
society. He was best known as a prolific songwriter,
recording artist and performer who played more
than 300 concerts a year.
Over the years, Harry demonstrated an amazing
personal commitment, giving the proceeds of
every other concert to organizations fighting
hunger. Hunger
became Harry’s cause
and passion, discussing
ending hunger at all
appearances, lobbying
Washington
constantly for help,
and aiding in the
establishment of the
World Hunger
Commission. He was
the founder of World
Hunger Year (WHY),
an international
organization that
brings grassroots
organizations
together to fight
hunger. He also
established the
hunger hotline in
New York City (a
service that remains
open for all hungry people in the city) and the
Long Island Cares Food Bank, where his widow,
Sandy, still serves on the board of directors.
In 1981, Harry died suddenly and tragically in an
automobile crash on the Long Island Expressway.
He was scheduled to complete another benefit
concert that night.
The food bank's name was changed to The Harry
Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida in 1994,
when a board member and a friend of the late
singer received permission from Chapin's family.
Unfortunately, the call for food never ceases.
More and more people in Southwest Florida have
found themselves falling upon hard times,
particularly with Hurricane Irma destroying so
much of the state of Florida. Most years the
Harry Chapin Food Bank, with the assistance
of 150 partnering agencies, provides more
than one-quarter of a million pounds of food
to so many who live around us. In fiscal year
2016-17 the Food Bank distributed a total of
22.3 million total pounds of food including 6.6
million pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables,
and had a ratio of $8 dollars worth of food
purchased for every dollar raised. Over the
years they distributed more than 3.1 million
pounds of food through their mobile services
and rescued more than
seven million pounds of
food in their retail store
pick-up program.
Their programs include
“Care and Share: Senior
Feeding Campaign,” the
Commodity Supplemental
Food Program, disaster
relief, a fresh produce
rescue program, a mobile
pantry program, a retail
store pick-up program,
and they participate in the
Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance, or SNAP
program and the
USDA/Emergency Food
Assistance Program.
Approximately 97
percent of every dollar
raised for the Harry
Chapin Food Bank is given
back into the food program, which is unheard
of in this day and age. It is a four-star-rated
charity by Charity Navigator, a national nonprofit
watchdog organization. The food bank
has more than 6,000 volunteers who put in
more than 53,000 hours of support to keep
things running smoothly, and to keep bellies
full.
It is the only regional organization serving
Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee
Counties and each week they feed more than
28,000 people. More than 50 percent of those
people are children and senior citizens.
The Taste of Boca Grande this year will be
held on Monday, Feb. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the
40 GASPARILLA ISLAND January/February 2018