Flotilla 95 Fill the Boat Food Drive a WINN Win!

How do you fill a 21-foot boat with donated food? The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAux) Flotilla-95 Marco Island partnered with Winn Dixie to fill the boat with donated food for Our Daily Bread Food Pantry (ODBFP). 

Fill the Boat Food Drive 1

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In 2022, the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry served 194,497 individuals and is forecasted to serve 224,880 individuals in 2023! The boatload of donated food will help support the works of ODBFP that provide food six days a week through its Saturday drive-through pantry on Winterberry Drive and its 15 mobile pantry outreaches as well as a weekly breakfast program for Marco Island Charter Middle School.

According to Richard Hurd, Public Information Officer of Flotilla 95, “credit is due to Mark Schwab (Flotilla 95, Marco Island), our fearless leader for this event. Mark did an excellent job cultivating relationships with Winn Dixie and ODBFP, organizing every aspect of the day’s activities. Before we even set up the boat, we received a check for $1,000 from an anonymous donor.”

Flotilla 95 Marco Island had 10 members participating in the event, along with an equal number from ODBFP. Hurd added, “Winn Dixie and ODBFP have been terrific community partners and we look forward to next year’s event.”

Fill the Boat Food Drive 2

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It was a “WINN” Win for Stephen Sheppard, General Manager of Winn Dixie. He was thrilled with the community’s generous donation of 2,200 pounds of food. Sheppard confirmed that Winn Dixie will match 1,500 pounds of donated food items bringing the total to 3,700 pounds for the event, exceeding the 3,000-pound target. Besides the donated food, the event received monetary donations totaling $2,332.88.

Donna Kaczka, feeling very blessed, filled her cart with essential items to celebrate the blessings of a newly born grandson, Nolan. Winn Dixie was the place to be for regular shoppers like Marie Senechal, who drove in with her motorized scooter and added a bag for the food drive.

For that weekend, Winn Dixie offered a Buy One Get One promotion on food items such as peanut butter, canned vegetables, beans, and pasta sauce. I noticed that BOGO for 16-ounce peanut butter was a popular donated item and also on the suggested list for shoppers to donate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 1997 and 2023, peanut butter experienced an average inflation rate of 2.49% per year. In other words, peanut butter costing $2.48 in 1997 would now cost $4.70 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase.

Overall, it was a very successful event and ODBFP, Winn Dixie and USCGAux Flotilla 95 Marco Island are looking forward to a third year. They might need a bigger boat!