The Foliage Sertoma Club of Apopka donated $1,000 to Loaves & Fishes on Monday to help cover the cost of replacing two of the food pantry’s three aging air-conditioning units at its Apopka facility. 

With the donation, Loaves & Fishes has raised $25,500 toward the pantry’s $30,000 fundraising goal for the new air-conditioning units, which cost $30,500, according to Lory Reeves, Loaves & Fishes director. About $4,500 remains to be raised. 

Beverly Winesburgh, Foliage Sertoma Club secretary/treasurer, said the $1,000 contribution comes in addition to the club’s annual support of Loaves & Fishes.  

“This is over and above our normal budget, which we always donate to Loaves and Fishes in March because there’s a match,” Winesburgh said. 

Club members learned a few weeks ago that Loaves & Fishes needed to replace two of its air-conditioning units and decided to contribute toward the expense.  

“This was our opportunity to give them $1,000 that could be used on the air conditioner if they need it,” Winesburgh said. 

Two of the facility’s three air-conditioning units had been malfunctioning for about a month and a half, Reeves said. Energy Air assessed the problem and estimated repairs at about $9,800. However, because the units were 19 years old, the Loaves & Fishes board decided to replace them. 

The replacement cost came to about $30,500, Reeves said. The new units were installed Friday while the facility was closed.  

Before the replacement, temperatures inside the building remained around 80 degrees even when the thermostat was set at 74. 

“The next morning, we would come in at 7:30 in the morning, and the air was still at 80 degrees,” Reeves said, “which meant the unit was still running all night, and it still wasn’t cooling.” 

Staff used fans throughout the facility to cope with the heat. 

“It was miserable,” Reeves said.  

The need has been particularly great this year, Winesburgh said, “because there’s just so many people that need food.” 

Loaves & Fishes currently serves about 270 people each week, Reeves said. Recipients receive a weekly food bag containing about 20 to 25 items, along with monthly household and toiletry items. 

Winesburgh said Sertoma also learned that Loaves & Fishes relies on donated household and toiletry products rather than purchasing them. Beginning in September, the club plans to encourage members to buy extra products, including buy-one-get-one items, to donate. 

Loaves & Fishes lists ongoing needs on its website, including toiletries, cleaning supplies, household items, canned and dry foods, baby supplies and personal-care items. The organization asks that food donations be unexpired, nonperishable and not packaged in glass.  

“This money from the Sertoma Club brought me up another $1,000 towards my goal of getting $30,000,” Reeves said. “So huge, huge help, and it just touched my heart.”