Islanders Come Out to Fight Hunger in Collier County

A fun time was had at CJ’s on the Bay on June 30 as members of our community came out to support Meals of Hope. Guests enjoyed delicious complimentary appetizers along with happy-hour-priced drinks while enjoying the musical talent of Lance Shearer. We extend our sincere thanks to Mo Ahmed, his staff, and the Phelan Group for helping to make this first Happy Hour of Hope event of the season such a success.

A 50/50 draw is always a fun addition and helps raise additional funds for these monthly events. The lucky winner was Celina Condee, daughter of Erik Condee, who graciously donated her winnings back to the cause.

Neil “Captain Happy” Snyder welcomed the crowd and introduced Julyvette Pacheco, Meals of Hope Director of Community Impact, along with her daughter Jaime.

Julyvette explained just how crucial events like these are in raising the funds needed to purchase the raw materials for the upcoming packaging event on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Marco Island Charter Middle School. Neil also introduced Joe Nolan and Evelyn Rosetti-Ryan, recently elected presidents of the Noontime and Sunrise Rotary Clubs, respectively. Meals of Hope Marco Island is a joint effort of Sunrise Rotary, Noontime Rotary and the Kiwanis Club.

These monthly gatherings provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with friends, meet others in the community, network with business associates, and simply enjoy an evening of fun.

This year Meals of Hope Marco Island has a goal of raising $60,000 to pack more than 200,000 meals. Registration for the November 14 packaging event will be available through our website, mohmi.org, later this year.

The mission of Meals of Hope is to help eradicate hunger in Collier County, with all funds raised going directly to people in need through its 15 distribution centers at no cost to recipients. As stated by Meals of Hope, “Every gift, every act of support brings us closer to a hunger-free Southwest Florida.”

Meals of Hope Marco Island is also supported through donations and its “Friends of Hope” program, a group of generous individuals and businesses that have made substantial financial contributions to support the cause. We gratefully acknowledge our 2026 Friends of Hope: Erik Condee-Condee Cooling and Electric, Tom Mann-All Event Party Rental, the Carvelli Group, Alan and Linda Sandlin-The Sandlin Team, Barbara Kaumann, John McGonigle, Jim and Allyson Richards, Pam Shniper, Robert and Catherine Thomas, Donna Dubey, Tom Menaker, William Morris, Susan Purvis and Gwyn Steiner.

We invite everyone to join us at future Happy Hours of Hope events and to take part in the packaging event.

Together, through generosity and community support, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing food insecurity. Stay tuned for additional updates and opportunities to support this important mission.