Mayor's Feed the Hungry Program a Success

While the food drive is over, Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell and other volunteers showed up at the downtown Farmers’ Market to seek monetary donations too. “It’s the ultimate non-partisan activity, feeding people for Thanksgiving,” she said.

Atwell was joined by Sarasota County Commission Chair Nora Patterson at the booth. The “Mayor’s” program was started in 1987 by then-Sarasota Mayor Fredd Atkins, and has spread since to other mayors and other government leaders in the Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

This fall people in Sarasota and Manatee Counties donated tons of food for the annual “Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program.” More than 170 locations accepted the cans, boxes and bags of food.

Friday the food was assembled at Robarts Arena on Fruitville road to be sorted and apportioned to the local agencies for distribution before Thanksgiving. “It started two weeks ago,” said Christine Blyden with the Manatee County Action Agency. “We have 30 agencies that operate food banks.”

Twenty-eight non-profit agencies from North Port Social Services to Manatee Glens participate. The effort also collects donations by cash or check. Those are used to buy $10 gift cards at Publix Supermarkets. “That’s so people can buy something a little special for the holiday,” said Lou Anne Koch, secretary for the Mayors Feed the Hungry group.

“This is all-volunteer. There is no paid staff,” said Koch. “Everything goes to feed the hungry. There is no overhead.” Last year the group collected more than 40 tons of non-perishable goods.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can still send a check in the mail to The Mayors Feed the Hungry Program, P.O. Box 1992, Sarasota, FL 34230.