USPS Publication Number 16300
T h i s C om mu n it y Ne w s p a p e r i s a p u bl i c a t ion of E s c a m b i a-S a nt a Ro s a B a r A s s o c i a t ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icia l Ci rcu it Section A, Page 1
Vol. 22, No. 11
V isit T he S ummation W eekly O nline : SummationWeekly.com
March 16, 2022
1 Section, 12 Pages
PICK A BOWL AND FILL A BOWL W I T H M A N N A F O O D PA N T R I E S
F
or the past 40 years, Manna Food Pantries (Manna) has been dedicated to fighting hunger in communities throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. The Pensacolabased non-profit organization offers emergency food assistance, services food-related needs of vulnerable populations and engages with the community at large to join the fight against hunger.
In 2021 alone, Manna distributed more than 470,000 pounds of food to 31,014 hungry children, seniors and families throughout Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties. Through its pantries, generous partners and dedicated volunteers, Manna’s healthy food distribution footprint stretches far and wide across Northwest Florida. As a non-profit organization, Manna relies solely on grant funds, donations and year-round fundraising to continue its mission. On March 25 from 6 to 8 pm at the Pensacola State College Lou Ross Gymnasium (Bldg. #3), Manna will host its largest annual fundraiser, The Clover Pick A Bowl Fill A Bowl. The 2022 event will mark the 15th year the event has been hosted. The event will feature local art and food, with all
proceeds directly supporting Manna Food Pantries. At the fundraiser, guests will enjoy art created by local talent and food from various restaurants around Pensacola. At the event, guests choose a clay bowl designed by a local artist. Each bowl is handcrafted and unique with variance in colors and sizes. The bowls are designed by artists from the First City Art Center and Pensacola State College. After picking a bowl, guests will have a chance to sample various soups and foods from local restaurants. Food vendors will be stationed around the perimeter of the gymnasium to serve guests. “The event’s proceeds benefit Manna’s services, providing food to the hungry in Escambia and Santa Rosa County through various pantries
and our prog rams,” original founders, Bill Manna’s Development Clover, who had recently Director, Kerri Smayda passed away. said. Since the first event “It’s named after Bill held in 2006, the event Clover, who was a longhas raised more than time supporter of Manna. $380,000 to benefit the He actually started this hungry in our community. event and helped sustain The Clover Pick A Bowl it until he passed away Fill A Bowl is Manna’s in 2018. Once he passed, largest fundraising event we changed the name to and is crucial for helping ‘The Clover Pick A Bowl the organization raise the Fill A Bowl’ to honor funding needed for oper- him and his memory,” ations. “This is our larg- Smayda said. est annual fundraiser. We Bill Clover was a profesdon’t do several events sor at Pensacola State throughout the year, this College in their visual is the one. This event is arts department for more really critical for us and than 50 years. Clover and these funds are critical his students played a huge to the work that we do,” role in the development Smayda explained. and execution of the event. Like many busiManna and event organesses and organiza- nizers will implement tions, Manna’s standard COVID-19 safety precauoperations have been tions to ensure that volunsignificantly impacted by teers and guests feel COVID-19. As a result of comfortable at the event. the pandemic, Manna was “This is a food event and forced to suspend many we will take extra care of its fundraising events to be sure that anything over the past two years, that can be individually including The Clover Pick handled or packaged will A Bowl Fill A Bowl event. be done that way. We The event was f irst will follow any guideestablished in 2006 lines that Pensacola State and held at Pensacola College has in place in State College. Since its terms of their policies inception, the event has to allow for maximum undergone several name capacity crowds,” Smayda changes. In 2018, the explained. fundraiser was re-named Manna is still seeking to honor one of the event’s local restaurants to help
by Nicole Willis
serve food at the event as there are still vendor slots available for those interested in participating. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For details on becoming a vendor or for more information on becoming a sponsor, email kerri@mannahelps.org Tickets for The Clover Pick A Bowl Fill A Bowl can be purchased in-advance for $40 each, or at the door on the day of the event for $50 each. For tickets and information, visit mannahelps.org. Follow @mannafoodpantries on Instagram or @mannahelps.org on Facebook for special announcements and event details. •
Interested in Attending? Scan the QR code to purchase tickets!
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