Free food for those in need. Drive-thru ‘mega pantry’ moving to new location in Bradenton
A weekly drive-thru “mega pantry” operated by Feeding Tampa Bay in Manatee County will continue to offer free meals to those in need throughout the month of June.
This week, the event will move to a new location at DeSoto Square mall, 303 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton. The giveaways were formerly held at State College of Florida’s Bradenton campus.
All that is needed is a vehicle to receive boxes of food, organizers say. Volunteers load the boxes into the trunk of the car for a contactless delivery.
“The impact of COVID-19 has been significant,” Thomas Mantz, president and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay told the Bradenton Herald last month. “The idea today is to get a family of two or three through three or four days and take some pressure off the family budget.”
Mantz previously said that the Manatee County drive-thru operation will continue as long as there is a need.
The pantry will continue to operate from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in June. Future events will be announced on Feeding Tampa Bay’s calendar at FeedingTampaBay.org.
The organization also offers an online directory of other local food banks and pantries.