Orioles teaming up with charities to help feed the hungry in Sarasota County and West Africa

Fundraising event and All Faiths Food Drive set for March 24 at Ed Smith Stadium

Bird helps with an All Faiths Food Bank initiative. Image courtesy Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles will be teaming up this weekend with charitable organizations that have global and local operations that feed the hungry, the team has announced.

Two events are planned for Saturday, March 24, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

Scores of volunteers organized by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will help package meals for vulnerable people in West Africa from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, a news release says. Then “fans attending the game that evening can pitch in with food or cash donations to support All Faiths Food Bank in its mission to end hunger in Sarasota,” the release points out.

During the morning event, Sarasota area volunteers will join the Orioles and CRS Helping Hands to participate in the 10,000 Meal Challenge, a fundraising project organized to send 10,000 meals to people in Burkina Faso, West Africa, the release explains. Registered teams will pack meals alongside Orioles Hall of Famer and MASN TV network analyst Mike Bordick, MASN broadcaster Jim Hunter, members of the Orioles staff and the Oriole Bird mascot.

On Saturday evening, the Orioles will host the eighth annual All Faiths Food Drive. Fans attending the 6:05 p.m. game against the Minnesota Twins are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and/or monetary donations to benefit the All Faiths Food Bank, the release continues. Volunteers will collect all contributions at the gates of the ballpark, the release adds.

“Since 2011, more than 6,000 pounds of food and nearly $7,500 in cash donations have been collected at the yearly food drive to help people in need in the Sarasota community,” the release points out.

In 2017, All Faiths Food Bank distributed 10.2 million pounds of food — equating to 8.5 million meals — through 188 partners and programs, the release says. More than 47,000 volunteer hours have gone into carrying out the mission to end hunger in the community.