ANNA MARIA – Roser Food Pantry chairman Jack Brennan is one of those people who feels obliged to take on tasks others are unwilling or unable to do.
In addition to chairing the food pantry, Brennan also serves on the city of Anna Maria’s Historic Preservation Board.
In recognition of his community-minded efforts, Brennan has been named as one of the Sun’s Persons of the Year for 2020.
The Roser Food Pantry was founded in 2010 under the leadership of Roser Memorial Community Church members Pam and Major Leckie. Brennan was not part of those formative efforts, but he’s served as the church’s food pantry chairman for the past four years.
In that role, he guides the operations that provide free food for Anna Maria Island residents in need. The food pantry also assists Island employees who live off-Island. It also provides Publix gift cards to residents and workers who qualify.
During a recent visit to the food pantry, Brennan was asked how 2020 compared to past years in terms of donations received and the demand for assistance.
“It’s been very surprising. Demand has been low and donations have been high. The donations have been terrific. It’s only now picking up to our average of 100 bags of food distributed per month. For a while, it was 40-50 bags a month. I’m not sure why demand this year has been low, except that so many food banks and food kitchens have opened up because of COVID-19,” Brennan said.
As chair, Brennan often purchases needed food items at Publix. While shopping, he tries to find ‘buy one, get one free’ offerings that save the pantry money. He also helps organize the volunteers.
“At first, I did it because my wife, Lynn, volunteered and I assisted her. Then Lynn got so busy with the museum and other things and I took it over more or less by default. I enjoy it. I enjoy the people and I enjoy the volunteers,” Brennan said.
He noted the food pantry could currently use a few more volunteers because some of the more vulnerable volunteers have taken a temporary hiatus due to the pandemic.
$30,000 donation
Brennan recently learned the Roser Food Pantry would receive up to $30,000 from the Mayors Feed the Hungry organization that’s been assisting Manatee County with the distribution of COVID-19-related federal CARES Act funds.
The $30,000 contribution is intended to offset food distribution expenses the pantry has incurred since the pandemic arrived in Manatee County in March.
Brennan recently met with Roser Memorial Community Church Financial Administrator Matt Meehan to ensure that the food pantry services justified a $30,000 donation. They did.
“I don’t feel right taking a $30,000 donation if I didn’t do what was necessary to get that donation. The donation is going to help a lot,” Brennan said.
Blessing Box
Located at 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria, the food pantry has a new Blessing Box affixed to the exterior wall that faces the street. Inside the Blessing Box are food items that can be taken at any time by those in need.
The inspiration for the Blessing Box occurred in August, when the Brennans were vacationing in the Hendersonville, N.C. area and Jack saw a newspaper story about a local church’s Blessing Box.
“It dawned on me that that’s my way of being open not just Mondays and Wednesdays, but 24/7. This is something that will always be available every day, 365 days a year,” Brennan said.
Brennan said the Blessing Box might provide free food for those who are reluctant to visit the food pantry during regular hours.
If you’d like to volunteer, donate food or money or need food assistance, call 941-778-0414 or visit www.roserchurch.com/food-pantry/.
Historic preservation
Brennan serves as the acting chair of the three-member Anna Maria Historic Preservation Board which also consists of Thom Wagner and Gary McMullen. Brennan said the volunteer board should ideally consist of five members and two alternates.
This year, the board has nearly completed its efforts to formally certify The Island Players theater and the Anna Maria Historical Museum as historic structures.
The board can also assist a homeowner or building owner or property owner who wishes to have their structure or property voluntarily certified as historic.
Brennan said a historic designation could provide a homeowner with property tax relief and may also provide relief from FEMA’s 50% renovation rule – a federal rule that limits the value of the annual improvements that can be made to an existing ground-level structure.
Brennan serves on the preservation board in part because of a previous research request that Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy made of him. Murphy made his request after the Urban Land Institute released its Anna Maria Island report in 2015. The report recommended a greater Island-wide emphasis on historic preservation.
“I did almost two years of research,” Brennan said. “I like being involved with the city, but I do not want to be a commissioner and I do not want to be the mayor.”
Praise offered
Charles Wade serves as facilities administrator at Roser Memorial Community Church and works closely with Brennan on the food pantry operations.
“Jack is a very good person. He’s very close with us as a Christian and as a fellow man who loves to help people. The food pantry is his passion,” Wade said.
“Jack’s into so many different things but he’s always got humanity in mind and he’s always looking to do good things. He’s just a great person,” food pantry volunteer Dale Dohner said.
“Jack is the ‘Jack of all trades.’ He is the foundation of our Historic Preservation Board and he is literally doing God’s work with the food pantry. What a wonderful world it would be if we had more Jack Brennans,” Murphy said.
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