Pine Island Food Pantry gearing up for Woodstock 2 fundraiser
Pine Island Food Pantry Treasurer Diane Gleason is very excited about Woodstock 2, the second annual fundraiser being presented on behalf of the Pine Island Food Pantry at the St. James City Civic Center Sunday, Jan. 11, from 1-4 p.m..
“Deb and the Dynamics will be entertaining and Relentless Fire will be our supporting band,” Gleason said.
Approximately 30 vendors and many food trucks will also be present.
Gleason said this event is what they are counting on to get the organization through the entire year. A total of 954 people attended last year’s Woodstock and this year, she said, they are hoping for even more.
Food Pantry President Bonnie Potter said there will also be raffle baskets, as Food Pantry volunteers have already gone out to various businesses to solicit and then put the baskets together. There will also be a silent auction, she said.
“All the funds will go to the Pine Island Food Pantry and 100% of that stays on the island,” Gleason said.
Currently, the organization feeds approximately 300 families per month, which, Gleason said, totals approximately 1,000 individuals eating from the Pine Island Food Pantry, which is 100% volunteer and supported 100% through donations.
“No one goes hungry on Greater Pine Island,” Gleason said.
After taking in 110 new families as of November 2025, Gleason said it was found that 38% of the families are statistically adults, 33% are seniors and 29% are children. One of the arms of the organization is the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Potter added.
Increased hurricane activity in the past few years have created food insecurity.
“We have seen the number of individuals who come in for help go up by at least 50% this past year in particular due to the rising cost of food, cuts in benefits — we have just seen a huge amount of need,” Gleason said.
The all-volunteer PIFP, which began in 1993, currently has 30 volunteers, all of whom, Gleason and Potter agree, are very passionate about the work being done to feed Greater Pine Island. They also work with fantastic donors, comprised of many Pine Island non-profits organizations, she said, such as the Beacon of HOPE, the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, the Matlacha Hookers and the Elks Club. Gleason said their hope is that the Woodstock 2 event will be affordable for islanders and that they will show their support by coming.
“We’re hoping people come to this because it is literally our one fundraiser of the year. All the money that we bring in will help us get through the year. We have non-perishable donations and drop-offs all over the island. We would love people to think about donating, especially If they get buy-one, get-one free, that works and, of course, checks and cash always work. We really want to thank all the people who support us on the island because it is an amazing community. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” Gleason said.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email