Feeding families through Meals of Hope

There are lines of families waiting to put food on their tables. The hunger epidemic is real. That’s where non-profits like Meals of Hope come into play.

They feed more than four thousand families a week across Lee and Collier County.

Meals of Hope celebrated by packing one hundred million meals for food-insecure families.

“We have three areas that we concentrate on food assistance, and we are the largest food pantry provider in all of Florida,” said Stephen Popper, CEO of Meals of Hope.

They’re a Naples-based non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger both locally and throughout the country.

“Hunger really is a silent epidemic. People don’t realize that throughout the United States. There is not one county that’s not facing a hunger problem,” Popper said.

Meals of Hope is the largest food pantry provider in Florida, with 15 weekly locations in Collier and Lee County, serving more than 4,000 families each week.

“We’re here trying to make sure that we’re giving families wonderful, nutritious food and treat them with dignity,” Popper said.

On Monday, they celebrated this milestone at their food pantry at Lely Presbyterian Church.

“We’re richly blessed, and we love giving back to the community, and I believe that Meals of Hope is a great organization, and so we love the opportunity to come and do what we can,” said Jacqueline Hansen, volunteer.

Meals of Hope also distributes over 10,000 backpacks of food to the neediest elementary school children in Collier, Lee and Palm Beach County monthly.

“We can’t do this without our volunteers, and if people are looking for an opportunity to volunteer, I will tell you that it really warms your heart when you’re giving someone a week’s worth of groceries,” Popper said.

Since 2007, Meals of Hope has packed 100 million meals distributed locally by the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, and the Feeding America Food Bank Network.

For more information about Meals of Hope, click here.