Bradenton-area food banks ask for donations as need grows during COVID-19 pandemic

Penny Goephe, kitchen manager at the Our Daily Bread soup kitchen, which feeds the homeless at Turning Points, will tell you that the food pantry is in need of just about everything during the coronavirus pandemic.

“The donations from grocery stores are down. We need meats, vegetables and nonperishables,” she said.

Even with the need for donations, Our Daily Bread continues to feed about 246 meals a day, slightly up from pre-pandemic days.

At the same time, Turning Points, 701 17th Ave. W., which cares for the needs of the homeless, and those who may be teetering on homelessness, finds that it has had to cut back operations.

“The need has grown but our ability has shrunk,” said Adell Erozer, executive director for Turning Points. “It’s definitely an issue. Much of our work is done by volunteers, many of whom are retired seniors, who are most at-risk. We are down to providing basic services.”

Turning Points is doing what it can remotely via the internet. But other operations, like the dental clinic, cannot operate remotely. It has had to reduce its operations to emergencies only. Because fitting dentures is not considered an emergency, Turning Points has about a dozen pair that have not been delivered to clients.

Still, the homeless continue to come to Turning Points to wash their hands or take a shower because they have no other place to go.

“One of my pet peeves is that we need more hand-washing stations,” Erozer said.

About 80 percent of the clients served by Turning Points are the working poor, who are about one paycheck away from becoming homeless.

“When something like this comes along it throws them for a loop,” Eozer said.

With unemployment spiking, landlords have, for now, paused in sending eviction notices.

“It is going to be like a dam breaking when all the eviction notices start coming,” she said.

At St. Joseph Food Pantry in Bradenton, Maryanne Staubach, and her sister, Ellen Staubach, who are co-directors, report seeing more clients who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.

“That is very sad, but we are here to help them,” Maryanne Staubach said. “Every day people come in for help.”

St. Joseph Food Pantry, which is affiliated with Feeding Tampa Bay, is most in need of donations of dry goods and nonperishables that have a shelf life, because clients can only pick up food items once a month.

“Recently we put out an appeal for food. We found we are unable to order food from grocers as they are having problems stocking their shelves. We had a huge response from those we contacted and we cannot thank you enough. With your help, we now have enough food for April. We are taking this one month at a time,” the food pantry said on its webpage.

Amy Towery, vice president of development for Bradenton-based Meals on Wheels PLUS Manatee, which serves more than 100 local food pantries, says the greatest need is for nonperishable food items.

Meals on Wheels PLUS buys food items by the pallet load, but many groceries are limiting what can be purchased.

Meals on Wheels PLUS Manatee is seeking donations of canned vegetables, baby cereal and formula, canned fruits, mac ‘n’ cheese, peanut butter, jelly, boxed rice, boxed pasta, canned soups, canned meat, 100 percent fruit juices, breakfast bars, oatmeal, powdered milk, apple sauce, dried beans, trail mix, and healthy cereals.

Donations of food may be dropped off at Meals on Wheels PLUS at 811 23rd Ave. E., Bradenton. Cash donations can be made to https://securepayment.link/mealsonwheelsplus/one-time-donation/.

Among those who heard the call for help was the Longboat Key Garden Club, which has announced a $10,000 grant to be shared by Meals on Wheels PLUS Manatee.

“We have the money in our bank account and decided that we needed to do something,” said Susan Phillips, club president. “Ed Chiles had sent a box of produce to a friend of mine to share. That got me to thinking about the food bank.”

Phillips reached out to Chiles, who offered to match the garden club gift, half in cash, and half in-kind with organic produce from Gamble Creek Farm and Worden Farm.

Twenty boxes of Gamble Creek produce were being delivered to Meals on Wheels PLUS Manatee on Monday, following the recent donation of 40,000 pounds of tomatoes from Pacific Tomato Growers.

Poppa’s Tacqueria subsequently announced that it was adding $5,000 to the original garden club gift.

Members of the garden club have individually donated another $1,000 to the pot, making the gift $26,000 so far.

Phillips has challenged other nonprofits and foundations to step up with gifts directly to Meals on Wheels PLUS or through the garden club. For more information, she can be reached at hurricane007@me.com.

“Thanks to Susan and the garden club for starting this. I hope it keeps going. You never say no to Susan Phillips,” Chiles said.