ANNA MARIA – The holiday season is upon us, and while it’s the most wonderful time of the year for many, some people are struggling with hunger. That’s where the Roser Food Pantry comes in, but it needs the community’s help to meet the need.
Supported by All Island Denominations (AID), the food pantry is in need of financial support, along with donations of unopened, non-perishable food items.
Community assistance programs at the food pantry include providing bags of groceries to Anna Maria Island residents and families along with those of workers who commute to the Island, giving out Publix gift cards for those in need to purchase groceries and a blessing box on the outside of the food pantry that has items available for anyone in the community who needs them to pick up.
The food pantry is almost completely funded through donations and with the COVID-19 pandemic there are more people than ever struggling to make ends meet. Without additional donations, the benefits available to the community through the food pantry will be curtailed.
“My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for the love, support and kind gesture this program provides,” one food pantry beneficiary said. “I want to thank you for the Publix gift card. It truly is a blessing to be provided with food. I am so humbled by your thoughtfulness and gift.”
“It has helped out so much having the monthly gift cards from your church to help out with groceries,” another recipient said. “My mom, who I live with and look after, is sick and won’t be getting any better so she can no longer work. We scrape by each month with the bills but we rarely have much left over for food or anything else. I sure hope the funding improves and you can continue. If not, we still appreciate all of these months you did help us.”
Food donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.
Financial donations can be given online by credit card or mailed to Roser Church, P. O. Box 247, Anna Maria, FL 34216.
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