NAPLES, Fla. — They're unsung heroes helping Southwest Florida rebound from this pandemic — volunteers lending a helping hand to those families struggling to put food on their tables.
For Kae and Mike Nywening, helping those in need is truly a labor of love.
"There's a lot of need right now," said Kae Nywening.
The married couple volunteers at the St. Matthew's House warehouse in Naples, packing over 600 boxes of food every Thursday.
"We're up to five, but our goal today is six pallets," said Kae Nywening.
Each pallet is 105 boxes of food — Kae and Mike together pack 210 boxes of food an hour during their 3-hour shift.
Each week, trying to break their previous week's record of boxes assembled.
"We came out here with really no idea on what we were going to be doing, no goals set in mind what's so ever," said Mike Nywening.
Since the start of the pandemic, St. Matthew's House, with the help of local partners, has helped feed record-breaking number of Southwest Florida families each week.
"Before the pandemic, numbers were minuscule compared to what is going on right now," said Mike Nywening.
The non-profit breaking another monthly record in August, feeding over 10,000 households.
And as the need continues, this dynamic duo says their mission is to keep helping families in Southwest Florida rebound.
"You come out here, and after three hours, you feel like you really accomplished something, and [it's] absolutely going to a good cause," said Mike Nywening.
For a list of St. Matthew's House drive-through food pantry sites, click here.
