Meals of Hope

Marco Island will shortly begin its festive holiday season with the wonderful celebration of both Thanksgiving and Christmas and on Saturday November 18th Islanders gathered in the traditional spirit of giving back for the annual Meals of Hope Packaging Event. Marco Island became a successful core location for this wonderful packaging event and it has grown along with the effort to combat hunger here in Collier County.

The Meals of Hope Packaging Event on Marco Island began under the watchful eye of the late Sunrise Rotarian Wayne Purvis. He kick started the event 19 years ago while enlisting the Noontime Rotary Club as well as the local Kiwanis Club. Since then, numerous other organizations and volunteers have joined the effort.

Initially after Wayne’s passing, fellow Rotarian Neal Snyder and then Rotarian Bill Morris took over the role as “Captain Hope.” This year, Purvis must have been smiling down upon the new 2023 event chair with great pride, as it was none other than his wife, Susan Purvis.

The packaging event returned again this year to the gymnasium of the Marco Island Charter Middle School which had hosted the event for a number of years. 

This year the volunteers packaged close to 220,000 fortified and healthy meals which are specially distributed throughout Collier County and Marco Island. 

Mrs. Purvis, the new Captain Hope, wanted to thank all the sponsors and volunteers as well as those that have donated to the various fundraising events. The proceeds go to purchasing the food and materials that make the event possible. She also wanted to recognize the Marco Island Charter School for its gracious use of their facilities hosting the event.