MEALS ON WHEELS PLUS OF MANATEE TO EXPAND FOOD BANK OF MANATEE TO MEET INCREASING NEEDS OF FOOD-INSECURE RESIDENTS

The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, is expanding to better meet the needs of food-insecure residents in Manatee County. The expansion project will increase capacity to better serve the community with a focus on infrastructure, technology, and outreach. Steve and Natalee Herrig provided the lead gift of $2 million for the project.

“What we learned about food-insecurity coming out of COVID is that once the need rises, it rarely recedes – it simply sets a new highwater mark,” said Maribeth Phillips, President & CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. “As the needs in our community continue to grow, we are working to increase our capacity to better serve Manatee County,” she added.

During the 2024 Hurricane Relief efforts, The Food Bank of Manatee played a critical role in helping Manatee County residents recover from storm impacts serving as a donation hub and distribution arm for the entire county. Over 110,000 meals were provided to residents impacted by the storms and 38 neighborhoods across Manatee County received support from The Food Bank of Manatee in the form of cleaning supplies, tools, and clean drinking water.

The Food Bank of Manatee is the only food bank based in Manatee County, Florida and is an independent food bank relying 100% on the support of the community to meet the needs of food-insecure babies, children, families, and seniors in our community. Those interested in learning more about the expansion project and how to help support it should visit http://www.MealsOnWheelsPLUS.org.