Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving food drive makes the holidays ‘not so sad’

Only the nooks and crannies of the Mt. Carmel Resource Center were devoid of Thanksgiving assistance. Tables held as many supplies as their surfaces would allow, boxes nearly reached the ceiling and volunteers shuffled through narrow passageways.

Manatee County residents lined up outside the crammed building Tuesday morning to attend the Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving food drive, which provides needy families with supplies to help ensure a cheerful holiday season.

Participants filed out of the center toting brown paper bags piled high with Thanksgiving food. Others received bikes from a raffle giveaway, turkeys, chickens or gift cards.

The annual food drive has been a Manatee mainstay for the last 30 years. In that time, more than 200 tons of food have been collected. This year, the collection drive ran from Nov. 8 to Nov. 17.

Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said attendants were eligible for food supplies that they could put toward a Thanksgiving dinner and other household staples.

Needy citizens said they were grateful for the assistance. Two disadvantaged Manatee residents, Shirl and Jennifer, both of whom declined to give their last names, called the event “very helpful.”

Shirl said that before her health deteriorated, she used to work in a position to help people like herself. She’s without family and said it’s the first year since 2008 that she hasn’t required some sort of surgery.

“Events like this one make this time of year not so sad,” Shirl said.

Last month, Jennifer’s husband died and her income dropped to just $900 a month from Social Security. She said she’s struggling to get by without her husband.

“Nights are the hardest for me. The house is so quiet and I wonder where my husband’s at, but he’s not there,” said Jennifer, who relies on Social Security.

At-risk youth with AMIkids and members of the Manatee High wrestling teamed worked alongside local law enforcement officers to help families with their bags and unloaded truckloads of donated bikes.

The Holmes Beach Police Department was one of the many agencies in attendance. Their department holds onto recovered bikes for a year and, if no one claims them, they’re given away at events like this one.

“We see there’s a need for bikes in the area because some residents don’t have licenses or cars, so this will be a great blessing,” said James Thomas, a Holmes Beach code enforcement officer.

Palmetto police donated bicycles in a similar fashion. Police Chief Scott Tyler said he tries to involve as many officers as possible in the event. He called it an opportunity to show that his department is fully involved in the community and to humanize officers.

“This sort of thing puts officers in the community while filling a need. Really, it’s an exercise in compassion,” Tyler said.

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving food drive makes the holidays ‘not so sad’."