The Orioles and the Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program are teaming up again this year to collect and distribute food to help people in need in Sarasota. The Orioles will collect non-perishable food items at Ed Smith Stadium beginning on Monday, November 6, and will host the charity's Thanksgiving Sorting Day at the ballpark on Friday, November 17.
Non-perishable food items may be dropped off at Ed Smith Stadium, located at 2700 12^th Street, on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The collection station is located inside Café 54 on Euclid Avenue. The stadium will be closed on Friday, November 10, in observance of Veterans Day.
Additionally, volunteers are needed to sort food collected from locations throughout the community on Friday, November 17. Sorting will take place in the ballpark's East Lot between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Volunteers do not need to sign up in advance.
"Partnering with the Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program has become an important tradition for our organization, which has a long-standing commitment to fighting hunger, not just locally in Sarasota but also regionally throughout the Mid-Atlantic and internationally through a variety of partnerships," said DAVID ROVINE, Vice President, Orioles-Sarasota. "We encourage local residents to participate in this important program by bringing non-perishable food items to Ed Smith Stadium and by volunteering to help sort donations. Together, we can help improve the lives of families in need throughout the Sarasota area."
The Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program is a nonprofit organization that has collected and distributed more than 200 tons of food and more than $3.5 million in food gift cards given to the hungry in Sarasota and Manatee counties since 1987. The organization's Thanksgiving food drive collects more than 46 tons of non-perishable food items annually. Food is distributed through charitable groups, religious institutions, and service agencies. Mayors' Feed the Hungry also uses cash donations to distribute food gift cards.
"Mayors' Feed the Hungry is thrilled to team up with the Orioles again this year," said JOEL SWALLOW, chair of the Mayors' Feed the Hungry program. "The Orioles very graciously open their Sarasota home to host our annual food drive, demonstrating their commitment to giving back to the community."
The program is endorsed by the mayors of Sarasota, Bradenton, Palmetto, Venice, Longboat Key, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria, and North Port, as well as the chairs of the Sarasota County and Manatee County Commissions. More information can be found at www.mayorsfeedthehungry.org.
The Orioles' participation with the Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program is part of Sarasota 365, a host of initiatives through which the Baltimore Orioles and OriolesREACH demonstrate the ballclub's year-round engagement with the Greater Sarasota community. An independent analysis commissioned by Sarasota County Government concluded that the Orioles generate approximately $89 million in annual economic impact back to taxpayers and residents. By marketing Sarasota to fans in the Mid-Atlantic region, operating a year-round athletic training facility, producing entertainment and sporting events, partnering with charitable causes, and hosting and often subsidizing youth sports tournaments and activities, the Orioles demonstrate an abiding commitment to their Florida home that goes far beyond baseball. For additional details, visit www.orioles.com/Sarasota.