Restaurants, hotels, and others using cooking oil can make a pledge of their used oil to the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

A cooking oil drive is being held June 1 through Dec. 31 by Green Gallon Solutions. The drive will encompass Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry counties.

Green Gallon Solutions will deliver a tank and provide “white glove” service for the seven-month period of time. The goal is to retrieve 100,000 gallons of oil at 50 cents per gallon for a total of $50,000. The Harry Chapin Food Bank will receive 100 percent of the proceeds; since the food bank can purchase $6 of food for each $1 contributed, this would mean $300,000 in food value.

Green Gallon Solutions is a socially and environmentally conscious company dedicated to creating a greener, more affordable fuel source. The used vegetable oil is refined into biodiesel, which is then sold locally, thus supporting the local economy and helping to improve the local environment. The biodiesel produced helps to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil.

Green Gallon Solutions works with local charities and food banks that share in its vision of community involvement. Information about the company can be obtained by visiting www.greengallonsolutions.com.

The Harry Chapin Food Bank solicits, collects and stores quality food for distribution to families in need through a network of nonprofit agencies in Lee, Collier, Hendry, Charlotte and Glades counties, who provide food to more than 30,000 people monthly. More than 1 million pounds of food are distributed monthly. For every dollar donated, about $6 in food value goes back to the community. In the past calendar year, The Harry Chapin Food Bank distributed more than 13.7 million pounds of food and other grocery items valued at more than $22.5 million. This is roughly the equivalent of 11 million meals to people in need.

Additional information about or to contribute financially to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, contact 239-334-7007 or go to harrychapinfoodbank.org .

Source: Harry Chapin Food Bank