Did you know that hundreds of children in Manatee County don’t eat on weekends? We don’t see them and don’t even know they are out there. They are our homeless children. There’s hundreds and hundreds of them right here in our very own community. We need to come together and feed our children.
Thanks to the Bradenton Elks, a program called F.E.L.T. has been put in place to help do just that… feed our children. F.E.L.T. stands for “Feeding Empty Little Tummies” and every Friday, Elk Lodge volunteers fill backpacks with nutritious foods to feed these children over the weekend.
According to county statistics:
1. School started with 900 homeless children.
2. That number grew to 1,352 by November 30th.
3. It is estimated that number will spiral to 1,700 or more by June, 2011.
These children get two good meals on school days, but go hungry on weekends. We need to feed this kids!
What Can We Do to Help?
SaraBay is doing what we can to join the efforts of the Bradenton Elks. Internally, we are buying food or making donations directly to F.E.L.T. We welcome you to drop off any food donations, which we will combine with ours. The Bradenton Elks will pick-up from our office, so there’s no need to make a special trip if dropping off at our office is more convenient.
What Items Do Our Children Need?
A typical weekend backpack includes the following:
1. Oatmeal/Cereal Packs
2. Pasta/Mac & Cheese Cups
3. Fruit Cups/Raisins
4. Beans with Franks
5. Peanut Butter Cups
6. Fruit Bars/Granola
7. Tuna/Spam Packs
8. Ramen Noodles
9. Peanuts/Almonds
10. Pudding Cups
11. Hot Chocolate
12. Soup Cups
13. Non-Perishable Milk
*No Glass. Tab tops on canned items.
Are There Other Ways to Donate?
1. Donations can be made online at www.BradentonElks1511.org (Click on E.F.E.L.T.)
2. Checks can be made out to E.F.E.L.T. and mailed to E.F.E.L.T., c/o Bradenton Elks Lodge, 2511 75th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209
a. $25 feeds 1 Child/1 Month
b. $50 feeds 1 Child/2 Months
c. $100 feeds 1 Child/4 Months
d. $250 feeds 1 Child/Entire School Year
3. Sponsor a Fundraiser
4. Take up a Collection
5. Commit your Church or Organization/Club
6. Make a Bequest
7. Organize a Food Drive
8. Give Individually
9. Support the Manatee County Food Bank
*Donations are tax deductible
For more information from the Bradenton Elks, please call 941-747-8804 or email jeffmitch6@yahoo.com
If you’d like to drop off your food donations at our office, feel free to just stop in, give us a call at 941-355-7696 or email elsah@sarabay.com.
Please share this information with your friends, family and everyone you know… our efforts will only help feed our homeless children.