Residents Contribute to June Food Drive

Our June FunDay becomes a Giving Day

As a part of the community’s Pay It Forward commitment, North River Ranch (and Neal Land & Neighborhoods) proudly supported the efforts of the Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee annual June Hunger Awareness initiative. Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee provides nutritional assistance and caring, supportive services to homebound seniors and disabled residents throughout Manatee County.

This year, residents were invited to donate during the June FunDay, held Friday, June 24th. Along with Food Trucks, music, and the bounce house, there were random prize drawings for every item donated. The response was astounding! We collected and donated over 650 lbs. of critically-needed foot items. From cereal to canned goods, pasta, peanut butter and jelly, and snacks, we covered breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Meals on Wheels’ vice president of development, Amy Towery,  said, “Our industry uses an estimate of 1.2 pounds of food per meal, so 650 pounds will provide over 540 meals!” It’s moments like these that make North River Ranch such an exceptional, unique, and connected community.

In addition, to the food items collected, Neal Land & Neighborhoods made a $2,500 donation. With this donation, the organization will provide 2,500 meals and serve over 80 families. Neal Land & Neighborhoods has donated a total of $15,000 to date to the Meals on Wheels cause and continues the Pay It Forward program at North River Ranch.

“We’re pleased to continue offering support for the great work of Meals on Wheels PLUS and our local neighbors in need,” said John A. Neal, president of Neal Land & Neighborhoods. “We’re thankful to our builder partners, residents, team, and all of those who contributed to this food drive and helped us give back.”

“We appreciate the support of partners like Neal Land & Neighborhoods who help us provide critically-needed nutrition and care to those in need and bring this cause much-needed awareness,” said Maribeth Phillips, president and CEO, Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. “We know that the rise in cost of living has impacted many people and their ability to obtain nutritious food, and Meals on Wheels PLUS helps to meet this need by supplying food to over 80 food pantries and agencies across the county.”

Since 1972, Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee has delivered over 11 million meals to homebound seniors, distributed tens of millions of pounds of food to local families and provided social services for local seniors. For more information, visit https://mealsonwheelsplus.org/.

About Neal Land & Neighborhoods

Neal Land & Neighborhoods is a Manatee and Sarasota, Florida-based community and master land planning and development organization led by John A. Neal. The company incorporates smart master-planning and public infrastructure solutions to create the next level of elite community planning in Southwest Florida. By working with carefully selected new home builders, Neal Land & Neighborhoods aims to establish thriving, sustainable, livable, and ecologically sensitive communities throughout Manatee, Sarasota, and Hillsborough counties. Neal Land & Neighborhoods currently owns or controls several thousand acres of land entitled for more than 9,000 future residential homes and the supporting mixed-use commercial and retail. For additional information, visit www.nealland.com.