Centennial Bank helping Pine Island Food Pantry with Stock the Box drive
The Pine Island Pantry is interested in feeding as many folks as possible with this year’s Stock the Box food drive. According to Diane Gleason, treasurer of the Pine Island Food Pantry, this time of the year is essential as everything seems to be getting reduced.
“Our snowbirds aren’t here, and our donations are slowing down, making this a crucial time to bring food into our families. The number of people at the pantry is growing, so the generosity here is tremendous,” Gleason said.
Pine Island Centennial Bank branch manager Elsie Stearns said she was very pleased with the Stock the Box event which happened in August of last year.
“We used all the boxes that we had,” Stearns said.
It was decided, she said, that this would become an annual Centennial Bank event each August, as this seems to be a time families are in need. Adding the food drive to the bank marquee has also been instrumental, she said, as people seem to see the sign and want to come in and donate. The bank is a drop-off location, not only in August, but all 12 months of the year. Because the Pine Island Food Pantry is not always open, folks can come to the bank when it is open, she said.
“We are excited and can’t thank Centennial Bank enough for this food drive,” said Bonnie Potter, president of the Pine Island Food Pantry.
Harry Chapin is the umbrella under which they operate, said Gleason, adding that all food must be weighed. The pantry has fed 2,200 families on Pine Island in 2024 with numbers rising all the time, she said.
“They’ve collected 800 pounds of food so far this year and their goal is to beat 1,000, which was what they collected last year,” Gleason said.
Key items needed are cereal, crackers and canned beans.