The Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida was featured in national promotions across the country during National Food Bank Week October 11-17. The Fort Myers Food Bank was selected because of its on-going affiliation with the Hewlett-Packard Company, the major sponsor of National Food Bank Week.

Hewlett-Packard, the world's leading provider of digital-imaging technology and products, has joined efforts with Second Harvest and affiliated food banks to raise awareness and money to help the problem of hunger in America. Specifically, HP has provided technology products and services for an online donation system. This system enables people to make monetary contributions directly to Second Harvest national or member food banks, including the Harry Chapin Food Bank, over the Internet. Online donations in honor of National Food Bank Week were be made at http://www.secondharvest.org through January 1, 1999.

Second Harvest is America's largest and most efficient charitable hunger
relief organization. Its mission is to feed hungry people by soliciting and
judiciously distributing food and grocery products through a nationwide
network of certified affiliate food banks and to educate the public about the
nature of and solutions to the problems of hunger.

The Harry Chapin Food Bank's association with Hewlett-Packard began back in the fall of 1997, when HP agreed to provide nearly $40,000 worth of computer equipment to the Food Bank in return for their serving as a "real-life" laboratory that would chronicle the ups and downs of a small business' transition to state-of-the-art computer technology.
The Harry Chapin Food Bank was the first company selected in the entire
country to become an everyday-life case study in how small businesses and
organizations can benefit from technological change.
"The project has since broadened from its small beginnings in 1997 to become Hewlett- Packard's "Networked to Fight Hunger" program with Second Harvest," said Hawley Botchford, executive director of the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Three additional food banks have been added to the program, as well as Second Harvest's Chicago headquarters. "Second Harvest hopes its 187 food bank members will eventually be brought together into a computer community of sorts," added Botchford. "HP is assisting with that through product donations and technical expertise."

Hewlett-Packard has also developed "Successful Networking: A Guide to Small Office Technology", subtitled "How Technology Helped Harry Chapin Food Bank Work Smarter and Harder, and Feed More People." "The guide offers insight on how to make the computing experience easier and more valuable — not simply another ‘what to buy' list," said Botchford. "Successful Networking," found on HP's web site at www.hpguide.com, illustrates how technology can help with virtually any mission in life.

According to a recent study, 21.4 million Americans are fed through the Second Harvest Food Bank Network. "As part of this network, our goal is pretty basic," said Botchford, "get meals to the people who rely on emergency food programs."

National Food Bank Week celebrates and recognizes the work of the entire Second Harvest network, which consists of 187 regional food banks across the nation. The theme of this year's National Food Bank Week is "Get Connected." Second Harvest and affiliated food banks are encouraging Americans nationwide to "Get Connected" to Second Harvest's domestic hunger relief efforts. In addition to the online financial donation capabilities, Second Harvest has established a toll-free number 1-800-532-FOOD to make "getting connected" as easy as possible.
Locally, donations may be made directly to the Harry Chapin Food Bank at 2126 Alicia Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, online at our secure donation area, or by calling 334-7007.

The Harry Chapin Food Bank, which solicits, collects and stores surplus and salvage food and distributes it to nearly 150 non-profit agencies which
provide meals or emergency food to needy clients without charge, serves the people of Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties.

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