Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, Inc.

Kudos and high fives to The Bradenton Runners Club for hosting their annual Turkey Trot 3-mile fun run and walk, Thursday, November 28th, beginning at 8 am. The registration fee benefits The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS, and Turning Points. Both charities will be on site to receive donations of non-perishable food items and gently used clothing and shoes in good condition. We are so happy to be part of this lively event and hope you’ll join us! For more information and to register: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Bradenton/BradentonTurkeyTrot

These beautifully wrapped boxes will be filled with small gifts for homebound seniors around the Manatee County at Christmastime, and here are some of our wonderful wrappers who come each year and work their magic. We are grateful to them and the loving hands they lend to assist us in making sure everyone receives a gift that lifts their spirit this holiday season! More info on Holiday Shoebox: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/events/holiday-shoebox-collection-594/

Volunteers are still needed for our annual Stuff The Bus event, sponsored by Mosaic Florida Operations. We will be accepting donations at all Publix stores around Manatee County, and we could use all the willing hands we can get to box them and load those buses up! Volunteers make the world a better place and we hope you’ll come and join us on October 6th. Sign up here: https://www.volunteersuncoast.org/stuffthebus

When a monstrous sized truck drives in front of our building and it stops, we know it’s going to be a good day! We had a donation of 269 pounds of frozen Jimmy Dean breakfast items that were more than a supplier needed—so the trucking company said, “Donate to Meals on Wheels PLUS!” A huge thank you to all involved with this donation! Local pantries that The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS, provides food to will be able to share with families around Manatee County who are experiencing food insecurity or hunger. Together, we can .

It’s just a few weeks away, the 2024 Stuff The Bus event sponsored by our friends at Mosaic Florida Operations, takes place at all Publix stores around Manatee County! The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS is in need of restocking their shelves after a very busy summer. Please plan on joining us on Sunday October 6th, by donating nonperishable items so that we can continue fulfilling our mission of feeding the hungry and food insecure. A canned item, bag of rice, box of macaroni and cheese, or a jar of peanut butter may seem small to you, but it’s not small to someone who is having a difficult time buying food. The Food Bank of Manatee supplies items like these and much more to over 100 pantries in Manatee County. Join us as we fill those buses so we can fill some tummies!

A big thank you to Barbara A. Harvey Elementary students, parents, staff and volunteers for hosting a great food drive! You all should be very proud of your efforts to collect food for those in need. As an independent food bank, The Food Bank of Manatee-Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee relies 100% on the support of the community for food donations and your efforts will help feed our community. On behalf of everyone who will benefit, thank you.

Tired of summer? We have a cure for that — look forward to December and the Annual Community Holiday Shoebox Collection! Come join us at a shoebox wrapping party — coming up next Tuesday, September 17th from 5:00 – 6:30 pm, where we will be wrapping empty shoeboxes with festive wrap. We have hundreds of boxes to wrap — please come and enjoy some pre-holiday fun with us as we prepare the boxes that will be given out during the upcoming holiday season. Meals on Wheels PLUS Main Campus at 811 23rd Avenue East, Bradenton, across from Tropicana! Please RSVP to [email protected] by September 15th.

The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS, needs your help filling the shelves after a very busy summer! Look for our yellow barrels at any Manatee County Goodwill locations, Manatee County Public Library locations, and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Lakewood Ranch Office. Donations can also be dropped off at Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee -- 811 23rd Ave. East, Bradenton, FL 34208, and Daybreak Adult Day Center -- 10920 State Road 70 E, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202.
For a full list of locations: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/food-bank-of-manatee/drop-off-locations/

Calling all volunteers! We need help on Sunday, October 6th, at the Stuff the Bus event, presented by Mosaic Florida Operations. Volunteers will help collect donations from community shoppers at Manatee County Publix locations, and will organize and load the donations onto a school bus. There are many shifts available, please register here: https://www.volunteersuncoast.org/stuffthebus

For our clients at Daybreak Adult Day Center, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS, it’s never too early to prepare for Christmas! Look at the lovely bracelets they have learned to make. They do such beautiful work, our clients may not want to give these bracelets to anyone for the holidays since they sparkle so brightly on their own wrists! Would you like to come for a visit and see what kind of fun offerings Daybreak provides to our wonderful senior clients? Find out more: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/daybreak-adult-day-center/

Thank you to The Out-of-Door Academy for all your efforts and collection during your Convocation Food drive! We are so grateful! Totals are in with 332 pounds donated from the Siesta Key Campus and 689 pounds donated from the Uihlein Campus! That's 1,021 pounds, which equates to 851 meals! As an independent food bank, we rely 100% on the support of the community for food donations and we wouldn't be able to do what we do to feed people in need without your support. On behalf of everyone who will benefit, we extend our heartfelt thanks!

Meals on Wheels PLUS is currently sending out a call to all to “Meat The Needs” with our canned meat food collection! Canned tuna, chicken, and ham are a healthy source of much needed protein and very delicious! Please check your pantries for extra of these items or purchase a “buy one give one” of these when you see it on sale. Your donation means that someone facing food insecurity or hunger this day may eat and be filled. Together we can help and together we make a difference to those who need this food! You can drop off donations anywhere you see one of our Food Bank of Manatee yellow barrels, or here at Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee at 811 23rd Ave East, Bradenton, 34208, and Daybreak Adult Day Center at 10920 SR 70 East, Lakewood Ranch, 34202.

Friendship Dining clients participated in chair yoga this week. Our instructor Uneeda, a certified Let Your Yoga Dance teacher, led the class that combined yoga postures with dance, breathing and occasional sign language with music. Friendship Dining is a PLUS program of Meals on Wheels PLUS. The program helps to prevent social isolation by providing people over 60 the chance to make new friends, participate in fun activities, and hear from local experts on a variety of topics as well as enjoy nutritious meals. Find out more at: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/friendship-dining/

The time is fast approaching for our Stuff the Bus Event on October 6th, and we are grateful for Mosaic Florida Operations for sponsoring this important yearly event! The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, is counting the days so we can fill our shelves with the generous donations of non-perishables and canned food items! As the only Food Bank in Manatee County, The Food Bank is 100% funded by generous donations like yours, and our partnering pantries and agencies rely on the continued support of our community.

We hope that you’re making plans to join the 1905 Family of Restaurants during their 27th Annual Community Harvest event happening in September! After you enjoy a scrumptious meal at any one of the six Columbia Restaurants, Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody Burgers, or Casa Santo Stefano, you’ll have an opportunity to choose Meals on Wheels PLUS on the ballot at your table. When you do that, The Gonzmart Family Foundation will generously donate 5% of the total food and beverage amount to us. Your lunch or dinner will provide a donation for someone who needs assistance to have something to eat, too. The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee provides food to over 100 pantries around Manatee County. Your meal out helps us to !

Meals on Wheels PLUS is proud and honored to participate in the 27th Annual Community Harvest. During the month of September, please vote for Meals on Wheels PLUS when you dine at any of the 1905 Family Of Restaurants locations, including Columbia Restaurant, Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody Burgers, and Casa Santo Stefano. 5 percent of your food and drink purchase will be donated to our organization in the form of gift certificates. Thank you for your votes!

Last chance to put your bids in - Auction closes at noon today! Support Meals on Wheels PLUS by purchasing our available gift cards, valid at any of the Columbia Restaurant locations as well as Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody, and Casa Santo Stefano. Gift cards expire November 30th, 2024.
http://bidpal.net/columbiarestaurantgiftcards

CALLING ALL MANATEE COUNTY RESIDENTS! The Food Bank of Manatee-Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee is in need of nonperishable food donations. With over 100 food pantries relying on us for food, the shelves are bare, the need is great! Please donate today!

Online Auction closes Friday at noon – Hurry and put your bids in! We have several gift cards available; they are accepted at all seven locations of the Columbia Restaurant as well as Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody, and Casa Santo Stefano. Bid Today! Gift cards expire November 30th, 2024. Eat Well While Supporting Meals on Wheels PLUS!
http://bidpal.net/columbiarestaurantgiftcards

Three cheers for for assisting with a food drive for The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. Led by Principal Dawn Patterson, these children have answered the call to help us stock the shelves in The Food Bank by bringing in canned goods and other non-perishables. As you can see from their smiling faces, donating food to help others gives you a good feeling! We want to thank these children and all the staff at Parrish Charter Academy for their participation in this very important way to . Donated non-perishables can be purchased at Publix using their BOGO items, taking advantage of sales at local stores, or out of your own pantries if you have extra to share. Together we can end food insecurity and hunger around Manatee County!

Our second group of volunteers from Westminster Manor and Westminster Point Pleasant came today to help us wrap holiday shoeboxes! We had so much fun together getting these boxes ready on the outside to be able to stuff the inside with holiday cheer for seniors around Manatee County. They did a beautiful job. From now until December, we will be wrapping shoeboxes for this holiday event, now in its 19th year. Would you like to come and volunteer to wrap shoeboxes? Find out about volunteering opportunities here: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/volunteering/
You can also plan on joining us for the Shoebox Drive and Holiday Reception coming up on Saturday, December 14th at the Lakewood Ranch Elks Club—mark your calendars!
https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/events/holiday-shoebox-collection-594/

Online Auction Now Open – Eat Well While Supporting Meals on Wheels PLUS! We have a number of gift cards available for purchase now. These cards are accepted at all seven locations of the Columbia Restaurant as well as Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody, and Casa Santo Stefano. Hurry! Bid Today! Gift cards expire November 30th, 2024.
http://bidpal.net/columbiarestaurantgiftcards

We had a wonderful time wrapping shoeboxes for our Annual Shoebox Event coming up in December. With the help of volunteers like these fine people from Westminster Point Pleasant, we wrapped shoeboxes with festive holiday paper and the boxes will be stuffed full of items for our Home-delivered Meals clients to enjoy for Christmas! Volunteers assist with wrapping, donating items, sorting items, and packing the boxes for so many who might not expect anything for the holidays. We loved having Westminster Point Pleasant here and hope to have them back again! We wrapped over 50 boxes which is an amazing amount!

Because of the Wilson-Wood Foundation and their generous grant to our Daybreak Adult Day Center, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, our clients enjoy playing different musical instruments from keyboards to guitars! One of our clients hasn’t played a piano in over 50 years but she sat down and joined in an impromptu jam session that was lively and fun. A special room has been set up with instruments and is available to our clients whenever their musical mood sets in. This same generous grant also provides Daybreak clients with unlimited opportunities to be involved with arts and crafts, jewelry making, and other artistic opportunities using different art mediums. We love to see our clients engaged and having fun and we’re grateful for the Wilson-Wood Foundation and their continued support!

This week at Daybreak Adult Day Center, a PLUS Program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, the clients are having a “Sun Kissed Summer” day. They have been busy working on decorations, making personalized attire to wear, and doing many other things to celebrate summer together. These types of activities keep our senior clients engaged and give them the opportunity to plan and to take part in the preparations for these events. The outcome is always fun, colorful, and enjoyed by all!

It's National Nonprofit Day and we are happy to step into the spotlight to recognize our work as the leading hunger-relief organization based in Manatee County. Whether feeding seniors through our Home-delivered Meals, Daybreak Adult Day Center, or Friendship Dining Centers, or babies, children, and families through The Food Bank of Manatee, our work to feed thousands each year is made possible by our generous donors and funders. If you give to help make our mission possible, please pat yourself on the back today because TOGETHER, . If you are interested in supporting our work, the link to donate is in the comments below.

Our shelves need restocking right now after successfully getting more than 100 pantries supplied with food this summer. We also held our Food4Families distributions which supplied food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a family of 5 to last several days, that were given out every week since the end of May through the end of July! Together we eased the burden of hunger and food insecurity for so many needy families throughout our county! Please continue to support The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS program of Meals on Wheels PLUS, and have one of our trucks deliver empty collection bins to your place of business soon! Click here to find out about hosting a food drive and about getting one of our yellow donation barrels to your organization: https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/food-bank-of-manatee/food-drive/
You can also drop off donations anywhere you see one of our Food Bank of Manatee yellow barrels, or here at Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee at 811 23rd Ave East, Bradenton, 34208, and Daybreak Adult Day Center at 10920 SR 70 East, Lakewood Ranch, 34202.