As the summer season settles in and visitor traffic slows in Lee County, many local families, seniors, and workers are facing another kind of slowdown—access to food.
FISH OF SANCAP, the islands’ longstanding social services organization, reports that food pantry visits have remained high even as seasonal activity decreases. From January through June 2025 alone, FISH has already seen more pantry visits this year than last, keeping pace with the high demand. Staff and volunteers continue to see a steady stream of neighbors needing help, especially as the off-season brings fewer work hours for service industry workers and higher electricity and grocery bills from summer heat.
“Tourists may be gone, but our community still needs to eat—and many just can’t make ends meet right now,” says Maria Espinoza, Executive Director of FISH. “Seniors on fixed incomes, families juggling summer childcare, and storm-impacted residents still trying to rebuild, workforce in the service and retail industries—these are the people walking through our doors.”
The FISH food pantry offers shelf-stable goods, fresh produce, dairy, frozen meats, hygiene items, and heat-and-eat meals. In 2024, FISH provided over 7,000 pantry visits to individuals and families in need—and 2025 may surpass those numbers by year end. However, with need at an all-time high, the pantry is struggling to keep pace. Shelves sit nearly empty week after week, and the current food pantry budget is stretched thin. Donations of food and funds are welcome, especially during the summer months when shelves can quickly run low.
To help encourage healthy eating and time together around the dinner table, FISH also offers Fresh Meal Boxes—available generally during the second week of each month. These boxes contain all the ingredients needed to prepare a full meal for a family, plus a simple recipe card. It’s a way to not only nourish bodies but also bring families together in the kitchen, even when times are tough.
“We hear from families that the Fresh Meal Boxes make a huge difference,” says Espinoza. “They get to try something new, cook together, and know they’ll have a well-rounded dinner that night.”
One local mom, who asked to remain anonymous, shared how she’s managing: “I always make sure the kids eat first. I’ll cook something with ground beef or chicken—usually with rice or pasta because it’s filling and not too expensive. I want them to have a real, home-cooked meal, even if money is tight. I don’t really care what I eat, as long as they’re fed. If there are leftovers, I’ll have those later. If not, cereal or oatmeal will do. Now that I have found out FISH has the Fresh Meal Boxes, we’re going to give those a try so we can all sit down and eat the same meal together. I’m sure it’ll be delicious—everything FISH does is done right.”
The Fresh Meal Box program is made possible through grant funding from the Lee County Unmet Needs Long Term Recovery Group CDBG-DR under a micro-grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice serving as the grant recipient.
In addition to pantry services, FISH delivers meals to homebound residents and provides support for those managing health issues, job loss, or reduced hours. Many clients are still feeling the economic impact of Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton—making basic needs harder to meet, even years after the first storm hit. FISH encourages anyone in need to reach out.
Photo caption: Food pantry volunteers prep for incoming shoppers
