Manatee food banks say stimulus bill could be a big boost. Here are other ways to help
Facing steady demand throughout the ongoing pandemic, local food banks are hopeful that the $900 billion federal stimulus will assist them in their mission to continue feeding families.
Signed into law by President Donald Trump on Sunday, the bill includes $400 million for local food banks throughout the nation, as well as another round of Paycheck Protection Program loans. The details haven’t been ironed out yet, but local food bank operators say that combination will keep their services afloat.
“How the new stimulus bill will impact our work in feeding Manatee County residents is unclear at this time. However, since the pandemic, we have heard countless statements from our Food4Families clients that they never needed help from organizations like ours in the past,” Maribeth Phillips, president & CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, said in a prepared statement.
“If additional funding is made available through this new bill, we will use it to continue to provide the essential food needed by the 85 pantries we serve and for our direct-distributions here in Manatee County,” she added.
In an interview with the Bradenton Herald Tuesday afternoon, Thomas Mantz, president and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay, said the economic relief will help his organization secure fresh food for struggling families and continue paying their employees.
“The thing that we want to continue to say is we’re not in recovery yet, we’re kind of in crisis,” Mantz said. “We understand it’s far better than it was, but until folks are fully back at work and able to return to their careers, we have a long way to go until that.”
How can I help local food banks during the pandemic?
There are several ways to assist local food banks. Mantz said Feeding Tampa Bay is always looking for volunteers to help with packaging and delivery at the Mega Pantry events that take place every Tuesday at the DeSoto Square Mall, 303 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton. To volunteer with Feeding Tampa Bay, send an email to volunteer@feedingtampabay.org or visit www.FeedingTampaBay.org/volunteer.
Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee is also accepting volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65, due to CDC guidelines. Volunteers are able to assist with meal pick-up and delivery. To sign up online, visit www.MealsOnWheelsPlus.org/volunteer/.
The Bradenton Herald has also partnered with United Way Suncoast to accept donations that benefit Feeding Tampa Bay, Meals on Wheels and other organizations. To contribute, visit https://app.mobilecause.com/f/35fu/n?vid=fq4a7 or text HERALD to 91999. This fundraising campaign runs through Jan. 8.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
