Orioles team up with local nonprofits to fight hunger in Sarasota

The Orioles are once again teaming up this fall with local nonprofits Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program and All Faiths Food Bank to fight hunger in Sarasota.

To support the Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program, the Orioles will collect non-perishable food items at Ed Smith Stadium beginning on Monday, November 5, and will host the charity's Thanksgiving Sorting Day at the ballpark on Friday, November 16. Non-perishable food items may be dropped off at Ed Smith Stadium, located at 2700 12th 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 Monday, November 12, in observance of Veterans Day.

The Mayors' Feed the Hungry Program is a nonprofit organization that has collected and distributed more than 600 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. For more information, visit www.mayorsfeedthehungry.org.

Tickets are on sale now for All Faiths Food Bank's popular Bowls of Hope benefit, which will be held at Ed Smith Stadium on Sunday, December 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Each year more than 1,500 guests attend the family-friendly event where 40 of the community's finest restaurants and caterers serve delicious soups, breads, desserts, and more. Guests select beautiful, handcrafted bowls to keep - all donated by local potters, artists, and students - while enjoying a modest meal as a reminder of the empty bowls they help to fill.

Each year during Spring Training, the Orioles host a food collection drive for All Faiths Food Bank at Ed Smith Stadium, and fans attending Gulf Coast League and Fall Instructional League games also contribute. In 2017, All Faiths Food Bank distributed more than 10.2 million pounds of food, which equates to 8.5 million meals to 66,000 people in Sarasota and DeSoto counties. For more information, visit www.allfaithsfoodbank.org.

"The Orioles have a long-standing commitment to fighting hunger, not just locally 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 the important efforts of Mayors' Feed the Hungry and All Faiths Food Bank. Together, we can help improve the lives of families in need throughout the Sarasota area."

The Orioles' support for All Faiths Food Bank and 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 $97 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 more information, visit www.orioles.com/Sarasota.