MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Brittney Vella is doing what she does best: feeding those in need. She’s worked at Our Daily Bread in Bradenton for 10 years. As the food pantry manager, she makes sure all the food is neatly organized and volunteers are on task.
What you need to know: According to the latest data from Our Daily Bread, more families are in need of food this year than last. Our Daily Bread soup kitchens are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Our Daily Bread pantries are open Monday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
“If we weren’t here and they were hungry, how would they eat? They would end up having to break the law and go somewhere else or go rummaging through trash. It’s good to be able to prevent that,” she said.
She said providing free food and hot meals is a blessing people desperately need right now.
“Food prices are going up. Rent, gas prices. They’re living on a fixed income and their wages aren’t going up. But the cost of living is going up. So thankfully for them, we’re here and we can help,” she said.
Britney says more people need help. Our Daily Bread produced 20% more meals this March compared to March 2023. Their food pantry increased production by 40% compared to the same time last year, helping more than 10,000 people save money and get the food they need.
“That way, they have extra money to pay rent, utilities, water and childcare for their children,” she said.
They provide food pantry items, basic care products and meals to approximately 300 families each day.
“Protein is important. Kids are growing,” she says. “Everybody has the right to a good dinner. Everybody deserves that. Nobody should go hungry.”
Britney knows what it’s like to be in need of help because she was once in that situation herself, having recently moved to the county as a single mother raising two young children with only $200 in her pocket.
“To be able to know that help and to feel what that help feels like now is a blessing, a huge blessing,” she said.
She has already given back to her family and now she is offering the same support to others in need.
The soup kitchen is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The pantry is open Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
A drive-thru food event was held in St. Petersburg on Saturday to help fill food gaps for families in need this summer.
One in eight children in Pinellas County is food insecure, which is why local organizations hosted drive-thru food pantries over the summer.
The Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board and the St. Petersburg Free Clinic will hold six drive-thru food distribution events this summer, with the first event taking place on Saturday. Officials said they expect to provide food to more than 2,000 families this summer. They explained why this summer is important to fill the food gap for families compared to past years, due to the increased prices of basic necessities such as groceries, officials said.
Each family will receive over 50 pounds of food at each event, including fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, canned goods and other shelf-stable foods. By the end of the summer, a total of 120,000 pounds of food will have been donated to families across the county.
“Rents have gone up this summer, utility bills have gone up, wages have not gone up much, and food costs for families who are really in crisis this summer have gone up more than they’ve experienced in years,” said Beth Houghton, chief executive of the Youth Welfare Board.
The next drive-thru food event will be held June 29 at Feast Food Pantry in St. Petersburg.
