The Food Bank of Manatee and Meals on Wheels PLus of Manatee is partnering with the Manatee County School District to help feed families during this extended school break amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee operates The Food Bank of Manatee, the largest hunger-relief organization based in Manatee County.
The school district has asked us to provide weekend food for families during the extended school break to ensure food-insecure families have enough food to eat.Over 60% of school children in Manatee County qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program -which means there is a huge need for essential nutrition when school is out. With the support of the community, we can provide vital nutrition and hope for so many in need.
We will be providing bags of weekend food for families during the extended school break, by following the Manatee County Food and Nutrition Mobile Feeding Buses.
The Nutrition Mobile Feeding Buses follow three routes, serving 7 locations Monday through Friday. .We will be following the buses on Fridays to distribute bags of weekend food for families.The bags contain 6 meals to feed a family of five breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the weekend.The food is provided free of charge to those who need it.
This first Friday, 03/20/20, we will be providing weekend food for families at TWO of the locations:Lincoln Park and Bradenton Village Apartments.
By next Friday, 03/27/20, and each subsequent Friday of the extended break,we hope to have the food available to service all 7 locations.
Those locations are:
Turner Chapel, 317 11th St. W., Palmetto, from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
Lincoln Park, 501 17th St. E., Palmetto, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Southeast High School, 1200 37th Ave. E., Bradenton, from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Bradenton Village Apartments, 1302 Third St. W., Bradenton, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
Pride Park, 815 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton, from 1 to 1:30 p.m.
Manatee Mobile Home Park, 2204 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
City Stop, 619 11th Ave. E., Bradenton, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Additionally, families in need of assistance can also find support at the many food pantries who receive food from The Food Bank of Manatee, a program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee.A link to those locations with hours of operation is available here.
If You Can Help...
Please know they also need the help of all Manatee County residents to feed our community.
There are three ways to help:
·Donate items:
We are in need of non-perishable food items. Specifically: canned meats, canned fruits, peanut butter, and boxes of cereal.
We are in need of unopened packages of toilet paper, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer. Home-bound and disabled residents need access to these items and the stores are depleted.
·Donations can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee 811 23rd Ave. East, Bradenton, Florida.
·Donate funds: Thanks to the Steven and Natalee Herrig Family Foundation,we have a $50,000 $1:$1 match for Emergency Relief efforts related to COVID-19. Your gift now will be matched. Please donate to help with rising program and operational costs related to this pandemic. $20 can provide 6 meals for a family of five people; $50 can provide meals for a home-bound senior for a week; Gifts can be made online at by clicking here or by mail at 811 23rd Ave. East, Bradenton, Florida.
·Volunteer:We have many, many people who need to be fed. We are asking for volunteers in small groups (6 or less) who can assist with sorting and packing food at The Food Bank of Manatee. We need help distributing the food for families at the Manatee County Food and Nutrition Mobile Feeding sites. We are also in need of volunteer drivers to assist in meal delivery to home-bound seniors. To control crowd sizes, volunteers must register in advance of coming to our location.Those interested in volunteering should contact Jackie at jgodlewski@mealsonwheelsplus.org.