Manatee County agencies providing Thanksgiving meals

BRADENTON, Fla. — Food banks across the Bay area are helping people in need this Thanksgiving.

Today, dozens of volunteers in Manatee County are handing out warm meals.

The nonprofit, Meals on Wheels Plus plans on handing out food to more than 400 seniors.

That includes all the regular meal fixings and dessert.

The organization says they are met with more people needing food every year, so all throughout this week the organization held events to help make sure families had enough for a meal today.

Meanwhile, the Food Bank of Manatee County said that during one of their recent events, they gave away more than 700 frozen turkeys and sides to families in need.

Officials said that while they serve families in need every year, there were additional challenges this year. those include the government shutdown and just the overall rising costs of living. 

“This year, well, this year, I would say it just continues,” said Maribeth Phillips, Manatee’s Meals on Wheels Plus president. “The need continues, and the increased need continues. And that is because of the cost of food. It’s because of the cost of rent and the cost of all kinds of inflationary factors.”