Community Cooperative adds seven locations to its July mobile food pantry schedule

FORT MYERS, Fla. - June 30, 2020 - PRLog -- Community Cooperative has scheduled 16 mobile food pantries, with seven new pantry locations in July. Before the pandemic, eight mobile pantries were scheduled monthly by Community Cooperative, averaging about 140 households per pantry. Now an average of 250 to 300 households are served at each site, with 425 households the highest.

The schedule for new mobile food pantries in July in addition to regular sites in Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Pine Island and Lehigh Acres are:

·         Thursday, July 9, 10 a.m. to noon, Pine Manor Community Center, 5547 Tenth Ave., Fort Myers

·         Tuesday, July 14, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Bonita Springs Gulf Coast Literacy Council, 26820 Old 41, Bonita Springs

·         Wednesday, July 22, 10 a.m. to noon, Kelly Road Soccer Complex, 10750 Kelly Rd., Fort Myers

·         Thursday, July 23, 10 a.m. to noon, Buckingham Community Park, 9800 Buckingham Rd., Fort Myers

·         Friday, July 24, 10 a.m. to noon, San Carlos Park Elementary School, 17282 Lee Rd., Fort Myers

·         Friday, July 31, 10 a.m. to noon, Villas Elementary School, 8385 Beacon Blvd., Fort Myers

"We've seen at least three times the need for our mobile food pantries," said Tracey Galloway, chief executive officer of Community Cooperative. "The need is still really high as people are dealing with unemployment. With the help of the community through donations and as volunteers, we intend to continue to meet this need."

Pre-bagged groceries are available at pantries while supplies last. Families are required to stay in their cars and receive groceries using a drive-thru model to minimize person-to-person contact. Fifty to 60 pounds of food are pre-packaged, enough for a week for a family of four. Gulf Coast Humane Society or Community Cooperative also have pet food available at the mobile pantries.

The Mobile Food Pantry is one of Community Cooperative's most innovative and effective ways to bring much needed food, specifically fresh produce, into areas that have been deemed food deserts with limited access to large retail stores with fresh food and grocery products. The residents in these neighborhoods live below the federal poverty level. Through mobile food pantries, individuals and families can access fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and bread that are so vital to supporting a proper diet.

To see the full schedule of July food pantries, donate or volunteer, visit http://www.CommunityCooperative.com, or call 239-332-7687.