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Manna Food Pantries Races to Fill Mayflower and Feed Hungry

Manna Food Pantry

The Mayflower has landed in Pensacola as a local nonprofit looks to feed the hungry.  The Mayflower in question is actually three Mayflower moving vans.  They are set up in the parking lot of the Cordova Mall in Pensacola to collect food for Manna Food Pantries.  It's the annual Fill The Mayflower promotion to help restock Mann's larder.

Jay Bradshaw is President of Pensacola Moving and Storage and also Chairman of the Board for Manna Food Pantries.  He says that they are hoping for a wide variety of food items nutritious food items like canned meats and vegetables.

In the past year Manna Food Pantries has helped feed over 42,000 people and they are expecting a large number to look for help as we approach the holidays.  DeDe Flounlacker, Executive Director of Manna Food Pantries, says they are seeing many people who are employed, but under employed.  There are also many senior citizens applying for help who are making the choice between their medicines or food.

Manna Food pantries was established in 1982 and now operates 6 pantries in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. 

The Fill The Mayflower promotion is a three day event that began on Monday and will end at noon on Wednesday.  According to Flounlacker the event got off to a big start, but the weather Tuesday has slowed things down.  Volunteers are at the mall site to help people with their deliveries of food so donors can stay dry.  And one quick reminder that Manna is looking for only non perishable food items, so no Thanksgiving turkeys, please!

If you cannot make it out to the mall before noon tomorrow you can always make a cash donation on line anytime at Manna Food Pantries.

Bob Barrett has been a radio broadcaster since the mid 1970s and has worked at stations from northern New York to south Florida and, oddly, has been able to make a living that way. He began work in public radio in 2001. Over the years he has produced nationally syndicated programs such as The Environment Show and The Health Show for Northeast Public Radio's National Productions.