Some neighbors in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will head into winter unsure where the next healthy meal will come from. On Friday, November 20, 2026, the Pensacola community has a simple way to help change that.
SportsRadio Pensacola is proud to join Manna Food Pantries and Coastal Moving & Storage for Fill the Mayflower in Pensacola to Support Local Families, an annual food and funds drive that helps provide nutritious food to children, families, senior citizens, veterans and individuals facing hunger across Northwest Florida.
The event will take place at Cordova Mall in Pensacola, where supporters can drive up, donate food or funds, and help fill the Mayflower truck for local neighbors in need.
A local food drive with a clear purpose
Fill the Mayflower is one of Manna Food Pantries’ largest food drives of the year. The food collected helps Manna serve people experiencing hunger through the winter months, a time when household budgets can become especially tight.
For many families, the need is basic and immediate. Groceries, rent, utilities, transportation and medical costs can all compete for the same paycheck. A few extra bags of healthy food can give a parent breathing room. A monetary gift can help provide meals for a senior citizen. A box of shelf-stable items can help a veteran, a child or an individual facing a hard season.
Manna helped 71,005 people during 2025, and the need for nutritious food continues across Northwest Florida.
A $25 donation can provide five days of food for a child in need. A $50 donation can provide 30 healthy meals for a senior citizen.
That kind of impact is why Fill the Mayflower matters. The event turns individual donations into a community-wide response to hunger.
When and where to donate
Fill the Mayflower will be held on Friday, November 20, 2026, at Cordova Mall in Pensacola.
Detail | Information |
Date | Friday, November 20, 2026 |
Location | Dillard’s parking lot at Cordova Mall |
Address | 5100 North Ninth Avenue, Pensacola, Florida |
Specific area | South of BJ’s Restaurant |
Donation method | Drive up and remain in your vehicle while volunteers unload donations |
The setup is designed to make donating quick and convenient. Supporters may remain inside their vehicles while volunteers unload food donations at the Mayflower truck. That means people can stop by during their day, drop off what they can, and be on their way.
The Cordova Mall location also makes the event easy to include in a regular errand run. A few extra nonperishable items added to a grocery trip can become part of a much larger effort to care for local families.
What Manna can accept
Manna appreciates all unopened, commercially packaged, nonperishable food donations. The focus is on healthy items that can be stored safely and distributed to people who need them.
Good donation choices may include shelf-stable foods such as:
Canned vegetables and fruit
Canned beans
Canned tuna, chicken or other proteins
Peanut butter
Shelf-stable milk
Oatmeal
Whole-grain cereal
Rice
Pasta
Canned soups
Macaroni and cheese
Healthy snack items
Baby food in unopened commercial packaging
When choosing items, think about foods that are filling, easy to prepare and useful for many kinds of households. Pull-tab cans can be helpful for people who may not have a can opener. Lower-sodium options, whole-grain items and protein-rich foods can also support more balanced meals.
A practical way to build a donation bag is to imagine a few simple meals. Pasta with canned vegetables and protein. Oatmeal and fruit. Beans and rice. Peanut butter with whole-grain crackers. Small combinations like these can help Manna provide more complete support.
What Manna cannot accept
For safety and quality reasons, Manna cannot accept every item. Before donating, check that food is unopened, clearly labeled and commercially packaged.
Manna cannot accept:
Alcoholic beverages
Homemade food
Noncommercial canned or packaged goods
Perishable items
Previously opened or used items
Rusty cans
Unlabeled cans
These guidelines help protect the people who receive food and make it easier for volunteers and staff to sort donations. If an item has been opened, repackaged at home, left unmarked or stored in a damaged container, it should not be donated.
This is especially important during large food drives. Clear, safe donations allow the team to move food quickly from collection to sorting to distribution.
Monetary gifts help too
Food donations are a major part of Fill the Mayflower, but monetary donations are also welcome. Cash, checks and credit or debit cards will be accepted at the event.
Financial gifts give Manna flexibility. Food pantries often need to fill specific gaps, respond to changing demand and source nutritious foods that may not arrive through donation bins. A monetary gift can help provide exactly what is needed at the right time.
Even a modest donation can make a real difference. According to Manna, $25 can provide five days of food for a child in need, and $50 can provide 30 healthy meals for a senior citizen.
That makes Fill the Mayflower accessible to many kinds of donors. Some people may bring a trunk full of groceries. Others may give a few dollars. Both forms of support matter, because both help Manna serve local neighbors.
Why healthy nonperishable food matters
When people think of food drives, they often picture canned goods. Those staples are important, but nutrition matters too.
Healthy nonperishable food helps families do more than get through the day. It can support children who need steady meals to focus at school. It can help older adults stretch fixed incomes while still eating regularly. It can help working families make it to the next paycheck with less stress.
Shelf-stable food also plays a special role during the winter months. Holiday expenses, colder weather and higher household costs can create extra pressure. Food collected through Fill the Mayflower helps Manna continue serving people during a season when many families need additional support.
A strong donation does not have to be complicated. Think durable, unopened and useful. Foods with protein, fiber and familiar ingredients are often among the most practical choices.
A community effort across Northwest Florida
Fill the Mayflower brings together local organizations, media partners, volunteers and donors for a shared purpose. SportsRadio Pensacola is joining Manna Food Pantries and Coastal Moving & Storage to help encourage support for the annual drive.
The event is made possible by Coastal Moving & Storage and media partners Cat Country 98.7, NewsRadio 92.3 and WEAR 3.
That broad support reflects the scale of the need. Hunger does not affect only one kind of household. It can touch children, parents, seniors, veterans and individuals in many different circumstances. Some people need short-term help after a job loss, medical bill or emergency. Others face longer periods of food insecurity.
Food drives like this give the wider community a direct way to respond. A donation made in a parking lot in Pensacola can become part of a pantry visit for a neighbor in Escambia or Santa Rosa County.
How to make your donation count
A little planning can make a donation more useful and easier to sort.
Before heading to Cordova Mall, take a few minutes to check each item. Make sure packages are sealed. Look for clear labels and expiration dates. Avoid dented, rusty or unlabeled cans. Keep glass containers to a minimum when possible, since they can break during transport.
It can also help to pack similar items together. Cans in one box, dry goods in another, and lighter items such as cereal or pasta on top. If donating by car, place bags or boxes in the trunk or back seat where volunteers can reach them easily.
For families with children, this can also be a meaningful learning moment. Kids can help choose healthy foods, count items or pack bags. The experience can show that helping others can be simple, practical and local.
Groups can take part too. Friends, civic clubs, faith communities and workplaces can collect items ahead of the event and deliver them together. A group effort can quickly turn a few pantry staples into a large donation.
What to expect when you arrive
The event is designed for convenience. Donors should go to the Dillard’s parking lot at Cordova Mall, south of BJ’s Restaurant. From there, volunteers will help unload donations at the Mayflower truck.
Supporters may remain inside their vehicles while donations are collected. That helps keep traffic moving and makes the process easier for people with children, mobility needs or packed schedules.
If donating funds, cash, checks and credit or debit cards will be accepted at the event. If donating food, make sure items meet Manna’s donation guidelines before arrival.
Because no event hours were included in the announcement, supporters should check Manna’s event information for the latest details before going.
Help fill the truck on November 20
Fill the Mayflower is a simple invitation with a meaningful result. Bring healthy, nonperishable food. Make a monetary gift if that is the best way to help. Encourage a neighbor, friend or group to do the same.
On Friday, November 20, 2026, SportsRadio Pensacola will join Manna Food Pantries and Coastal Moving & Storage at Cordova Mall to help fill the Mayflower truck for Northwest Florida neighbors facing hunger.
For event details and updates, visit Manna Food Pantries’ page for Fill the Mayflower.
A single bag of groceries may not feel large on its own. Combined with hundreds of other gifts from across the community, it can help carry local families through the winter months with dignity, care and nutritious food.
