Board members cite fact that organization did not follow new procedure for county funding assistance
This year, for what appears to be the first time since the program was established decades ago, the Sarasota County Commission has agreed only to endorse the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry program, with no provision of financial support for it.
The board members made that unanimous decision during their 41-minute meeting on Oct. 8, whose agenda had been shortened because of the approach of Hurricane Milton.
On its website, Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program explains, “Since its meager beginnings in 1987, the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program has collected and distributed over 650 tons of food and over $4,400,000 in food gift cards given to the hungry in Sarasota and Manatee counties.”
The program was implemented by former Sarasota Mayor Fredd Adkins, the website notes.
During the board’s regular meeting on Sept. 10, Commissioner Michael Moran brought up the latest request from the nonprofit organization, which he had received as the board chair.
Dated Aug. 14 and written by N. Scott Biehler, the executive director of the local program, the letter said, “We would like to thank you and Sarasota County for your continued support of the Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program. Your future support is vital to the continued success of this 501(c)(3) organization that was started 36 years ago to provide food assistance here in our local communities.”
Biehler noted that he had enclosed “a copy of our annual fund drive letter from last year,” adding, “The letter that will go out this year is essentially the same, updated with all the current mayors’ and commission chairs’ signatures.”
He told Moran, “We are requesting your signature to be used on this year’s fund drive appeal. Please sign the enclosed index card and return in the enclosed envelope.
“Your commission approved our request last year to distribute our utility bill insert into your November and/or December utility billing statement,” Biehler also noted. “We are requesting your approval to authorize the insert again this year. It will also essentially be the same as last year’s insert.”
The 2023 board discussion on funding for the program took place on Sept. 12, during a regular meeting, the minutes show. The commissioners did approve the $500 donation then, as well.
“Our final request is for financial support,” Biehler added in his 2024 letter. “As you are aware, the cost of food has drastically increased this year. Our food pantries are experiencing more requests for food assistance than ever before. In order to meet this demand, we are asking each city and county commission to make an annual contribution of $500 or more. Checks can be made payable to: Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program: PO Box 1992, Sarasota, FL 34230. Thank you for your time and consideration. Please do call me if you have any questions, concerns or comments. It is a pleasure and honor to stand with you to help feed the hungry in our communities,” Biehler concluded the letter.
During his report to his colleagues as part of the Sept. 10 meeting, Moran said, “If there is no objection from this board,” he would work with county administrative staff on the actions Biehler had requested.
“I have a concern,” Commissioner Mark Smith responded. “We kind of decided to step away from United Way” and requests for annual funding from similar organizations, he pointed out.
“I mean, I’m all for feeding the hungry,” Smith continued, but “I was president of All Faiths Food Bank [in Sarasota County] way back when. … I don’t know if this is going to set a precedent that we may have a tough time backing away from.”
“That’s the reason I’m bringing it up,” Moran responded, “simply because it’s my understanding this has been an incredibly longstanding support we’ve done, like for a super long time.”
The United Way issue
This spring, Moran told his colleagues he had learned that county employees had been allowed for decades, apparently, to have contributions to United Way Suncoast deducted from their paychecks. Such contributions were common for years with other local governments and businesses, including the Sarasota County School Board.
Nonetheless, during the April 9 County Commission meeting, Karen Rushing, clerk of the Circuit Court and county comptroller, talked of having found no documentation that authorized the Sarasota County Government practice.
County Administrator Jonathan Lewis did note that he was very familiar with such contributions from local government employees, as he has served with a number jurisdictions in his approximately 30-year career.
The discussion followed the board members having learned that United Way Suncoast, which is based in Tampa, allowed personnel handling its 211 helpline to refer callers to Planned Parenthood. Moran and Commissioner Neil Rainford, especially objected to what they decried as United Way Suncoast’s facilitating women getting abortions.
On April 23, in conjunction with the formal vote on ending the county employee contributions to the United Way, Rainford said, “Any county employee that wants to contribute privately, I encourage them to do that, just like I would in my private capacity.”
How to proceed with the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program request
During the Sept. 10 discussion, Moran pointed out, “We work as a board together. … I want a majority consensus on [the response to the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program request].”
“I tend to agree with Commissioner Smith,” Rainford replied, “just based on past conversations. Isolating one charity to give donations to is probably not a great idea.”
“It does give me some hesitation,” Moran acknowledged. “I think it is important to have … a full consensus from our board to move forward on these type things, simply ’cause there could be some muscling of favoritism or whatever … people might perceive.”
Then Commissioner Joe Neunder also voiced support for Smith’s stance. “I think … we just need to stay together as a board, Chair,” Neunder added.”
Not having recalled what the commission did in 2023, Neunder continued, he nonetheless pointed out, “It’s a different day. We certainly don’t want to be going down the wrong road with messages.”
Moran suggested that county staff work with representatives of the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program. “There might be some historical relationship there that we’re not familiar with or not taking into account,” Moran noted.
Perhaps he would bring up the issue again during a later meeting, he said.
Then Smith explained that his concern was with giving the organization the $500 it had requested. “I don’t mind this board saying, ‘Please help the hungry,’ ” with slips to that effect included in county utility bills. “That’s a great message,” Smith added. “I just don’t think we should back a particular organization.”
Moran replied that he would get “complete clarity” from staff and initiate another discussion of the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry requests.
‘It didn’t go through the process …’
On Oct. 8, when Moran brought up the matter once more, he reminded his colleagues that, in September, they had talked about whether to endorse the program without agreeing to a donation.
When he asked for the will of the board that day, Commissioner Rainford responded, “I would support supporting them without the funding contribution since it didn’t go through the process like everyone else.”
He was referring to the annual vetting of nonprofits’ funding requests for services to the public.
When Commissioner Neunder asked about the history of the County Commission’s support of the program, County Administrator Lewis pointed out, “Since [the program has] been in place, the county’s never not supported it.”
He had talked with the executive director, Biehler, Lewis added. “This started across the country … as [commission] chairs or mayors doing public outreach to help feed the homeless in a variety of different ways.”
Then Lewis noted that Biehler “was more worried” about losing the Sarasota County Commission endorsement of the program than the $500 funding support. “I think he would be very happy,” Lewis said, to receive just the endorsement.
Rainford made a motion to approve the endorsement but not the $500 in funding support, and Commissioner Smith seconded it.
The motion passed unanimously.
Moran asked Lewis, “Please pass along our apologies for the delay …”