Skip to main content

Bonita & Estero Magazine

Fourth Annual "Donated not Wasted" Campaign Begins in Lee County

Apr 05, 2022 10:00AM ● By Jessica Wagner

Photo Courtesy of Lee County Government's Website

Lee County's fourth annual "Donated not Wasted" Campaign has begun on April 4th and will last until April 18th.

The program encourages seasonal residents, visitors, and tourists to donate unopened pantry items before returning North for the Spring and Summer months, according to Pine Island Eagle.

Since the program began four years ago, Lee County seasonal residents have donated over 15,000 pounds of food to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. This amount of food has led to over 12,000 meals being provided to those in need in Lee County.

“In 2021, our food distribution programs provided 47.6 million pounds of food, including 12.6 million pounds of fresh produce, to the Southwest Florida community,” Meg Madzar, food-drive coordinator for Harry Chapin Food Bank, told Pine Island Eagle.

To donate unopened pantry items, drop off is held from April 4th to April 18th at the Lee County Recreation Center or any Lee County Library. Additional drop-off area information provided by Pine Island Eagle is below.

Drop-Off Locations

Recreation Centers

• Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero, FL 33928

• North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903

• Veterans Park Recreation Center, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres , FL 33936

• Wa-Ke Hatchee Park 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

• Captiva Memorial Library, 11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva, FL 33924

• Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library, 3095 Blount St., Fort Myers, FL 33916

• East County Regional Library, 881 Gunnery Road, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971

• Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901

• Fort Myers Beach Public Library, 2755 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931

• Johann Fust Community Library, 1040 W. 10th St., Boca Grande, FL 33921

• 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 Branch 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

Others

• Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, 7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33966

• Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex, 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers, FL 33966

For more information, visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste or call 239-533-8000.