The Copperleaf Charitable Foundation’s fifth annual Copperleaf Hunger Walk raised $60,000 to support Harry Chapin Food Bank and its mission of addressing food insecurity in Southwest Florida.
Held Jan. 25 at Copperleaf Golf Club in Bonita Springs, the Hunger Walk attracted more than 200 participants from Copperleaf and neighboring Lighthouse Bay in support of Southwest Florida’s largest hunger-relief organization. In addition to the foundation’s monetary contribution, participants also donated 2,087 pounds of shelf-stable food that will be shared across Harry Chapin Food Bank’s vast Feeding Network.
The Copperleaf Hunger Walk coincides with WINK News’ “March to a Million Meals,” a monthlong initiative each February to raise enough money to provide 1 million meals to neighbors experiencing food insecurity. WINK News has been a long-term local community partner in the fight against hunger, actively supporting Harry Chapin Food Bank and other local hunger-relief efforts through ongoing fundraising, public awareness campaigns and community outreach programs.
“It may seem remarkable to see all of the obvious affluence, success and money in Southwest Florida, and to conceive of the idea that anybody here could ever go hungry… in fact, it’s appalling to think that’s possible,” said Richard LeBer, president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank.
The reality, though, is that one in eight adults in Southwest Florida – and one in six children – need hunger-relief services. In 2024, Harry Chapin Food Bank, through its Feeding Network of 175 agency partners, distributed more than 39.5 million pounds of food across the region, the equivalent of 32 million meals.
“As a privately funded organization, we rely on the generosity of our community to address hunger and food insecurity in Southwest Florida,” LeBer added. “No one should have to choose between buying food and paying for rent, medications, transportation or health care. Every month, 250,000 of our neighbors count on Harry Chapin Food Bank and its Feeding Network to provide their next meal, and that’s only made possible because of individuals, businesses, foundations and communities like Copperleaf that support our cause.”
“The Copperleaf community generously supports our Walk for Harry Chapin Food Bank each year as we strive to feed the hungry,” added Bill Starr, president of the Copperleaf Charitable Foundation. “It serves as a reminder of the needs that are all around us in our neighboring communities.”
To learn more about food insecurity in Southwest Florida, please visit HarryChapinFoodBank.org.
