Community banks on food donations

By ROBERT NAPPER

rnapper@bradenton.com

MANATEE --

Hopes are high that tough economic times will not put a dent in donations collected during the nation's largest one-day food drive this weekend.

Postal carriers all over the country will be collecting food donations on their routes Saturday as part of the 16th annual "Help Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive."

Every year, people are asked to donate non-perishable items by putting them next to their mailboxes or taking them to local post offices.

In 2007, the drive raised 70.7 million pounds of food nationwide, and in 16 years mail carriers have collected 836 million pounds, according to the National Association of Letter Carriers.

In Manatee, mail carriers will collect the food, then drop it off at various local food banks.

Last year, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bradenton, collected 76,000 pounds of food from mail carriers.

The hope is to match last year's draw, but a struggling economy may cut into donations, said Bob Nimon, deacon at St. Joseph's.

St. Joseph's distributes about 21,000 bags of food to the needy each year, Nimon said.

"We hope to match what we had last year. But we will be happy with anything we get," Nimon said.

The need for donations has hit critical mass for all charitable agencies and organizations in Manatee, according to Joe Mercado, director of the Food Bank of Manatee.

Saturday's food drive is crucial for the food bank meeting demand through the summer, Mercado said.

"With the demand we have in these economic times, really, we are in need all year long," said Mercado. "People that were at risk last year are in a state of emergency this year."

Mercado said he hopes to get enough food to meet demand in Manatee for two months.

"There's no doubt we are going to get less this year," said Mercado. "But people need to know that this food drive has a significant impact on the community."

Salvation Army Maj. Robert Pfeiffer said the agency's Bradenton office on 14th Street West has seen a 30 percent spike in requests for food and money for rent and utilities so far this year.

The Salvation Army in Bradenton feeds 300 people a day and 10,000 a month, Pfeiffer said. The agency buys some of its food from the Food Bank of Manatee, so Saturday's drive helps the Salvation Army, as well.

"We do benefit. It's a great drive that enables us and others to serve more and more people," Pfeiffer said.

A busy Saturday will be welcome for more than 180 volunteers expected at St. Joseph's to collect food, Nimon said. Even though people might not be able to give as much as in the past years, anything helps, he said.

"Whatever we get, it will be more than we had before," Nimon said.

In addition to local post offices, the Food Bank of Manatee, 811 23rd Ave. E., is also a designated drop-off point for the drive. For more information, call 747-4655.