WINK viewers donated more than $528,000 to the station’s month-long March to a Million Meals fund drive supporting the efforts of Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.
Surpassing its target goal of $450,000, the campaign will provide 1.2 million meals for children, families and seniors facing food insecurity with 96 cents of every dollar raised going directly to purchasing and delivering food to those in need.
“The people of Southwest Florida are so generous,” WINK News Anchor Lois Thome said. “We showed our viewers the need, asked for their help and they responded by donating more than half a million dollars to feed people who are struggling in our community. It’s heartwarming to know that children will go to bed with full bellies tonight and seniors won’t have to worry about whether they can afford food and their necessary medicine. We live in a beautiful community and no one should have to go hungry. The success of this campaign shows the people of Southwest Florida agree.”
In each WINK newscast throughout February, Thome and the WINK News team told the stories of how inflation is affecting local food pantries, ways to keep unwanted food from going to waste and the abundance of food deserts in Southwest Florida, among others.
Richard LeBer, president and CEO of Harry Chapin Food Bank, said demand for food is higher than ever, and working families and seniors are some of the most vulnerable. The support from March to a Million Meals campaign not only provides them with canned goods but fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and more.
“It’s heartbreaking to see a situation where you have a small child who’s struggling in school because, you know, they didn’t have any food to eat over the weekend. Or a senior who’s having to choose between buying food to put on the table and pay for the medications that they need to keep them healthy, or a working family that’s dealing with hurricane repairs and loss of a job and all of those kinds of challenges,” LeBer said. “It’s just wonderful to be able to share some good news and celebrate how generous this community is to support everybody who needs help.”
