Manna Food Pantries has concluded their seventh annual Fill the Mayflower food drive. This year, Fill the Mayflower will help provide food for a day for 23,445 people. The food will be distributed through Manna’s four pantries, the Santa Rosa Backpack4Teens Program and Senior Hunger Program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
“This year, Manna has provided food to 32,868 people, including nearly 12,000 children,” said DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna. “This drive will provide the equivalent of 70,335 meals for families in need. The Northwest Florida community continues to show an amazing capacity to help those in need.”
Sponsored by Coastal Moving and Storage, the longtime event is the single most important food drive for the hungry in the community. “We’re also grateful for volunteers who gave 456 hours of service to make this event possible," said Flounlacker.
Manna continues to see high demand for healthy food for the hungry. In just three days before the Thanksgiving holiday, Manna provided food to more than 340 people, including 142 children. The organization is able to assist someone a maximum of four times a year.
Last year, Manna Food Pantries distributed 600,000 pounds of food to the hungry. The non-profit has been serving the community since 1983.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Manna’s Fill the Mayflower brings in food for 70,000 meals