This year’s PensaCan event celebrated a remarkable achievement in the fight against hunger, raising the equivalent of 14,479 nutritious meals to support the hungry in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Since its inception in 2009, PensaCan has provided over 91,790 meals for those in need, thanks to the generosity and creativity of local organizations and community members. Each year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Florida Northwest partners with Manna Food Bank to make this inspiring event possible.
PensaCan’s unique event format encourages local architecture firms and community groups to engage in a friendly competition, crafting large, artistic structures made entirely of canned food. The theme for 2024, Demolish Hunger, Design Hope, brought innovative designs to life, each displayed at Cordova Mall for a week. Once the competition concluded, all canned food was donated to Manna to help feed families across Northwest Florida.
A panel of local judges, including community figures like Laura Hussey of WEAR ABC 3, Jake Kotick from Hanto + Clarke, Brent Lane from Cat Country 98.7, Melanie Luna from Local Pulse Pensacola, and Courtney Radcliffe, Cordova Mall’s Director of Marketing and Business Development, evaluated the impressive designs on October 4.
Alongside the judges, the public cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award, further involving the community in this cause.
At the awards ceremony on October 15 at Culinary Productions Events Venue and Catering, winners were announced in several creative categories, including:
- Best Nutrition Award – Nemours Children’s Health, Making SHORE Families are Fed – Where There’s A Will, There’s A WAVE
- Best Graphics Award – Goodwyn Mills Cawood, Beetlejuice: Can-tastic Spectacle
- Structural Ingenuity Award – McKim & Creed, Empire State Building
- Best Video Award – STOA Architects, Pensacado Toast
- Most Valuable Award – Navy Federal Credit Union Account Services III, AS III goes to WonderCan
- Honorable Mention – Dalrymple Sallis Architecture, “Crush” Hunger
- Jurors’ Favorite Award – STOA Architects, Pensacado Toast
- People’s Choice Award – Navy Federal Credit Union Account Services III, AS III goes to WonderCan
This year’s event was supported by PensaCan 2024 sponsors, including Aluma Designs, Ashford International LLC, Blu Salmon, and Culinary Productions, whose contributions made the occasion a resounding success!
Looking to make a difference?!
Join Manna for its upcoming 17th Annual Fill the Mayflower food drive on Friday, November 22 at Cordova Mall, south of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse.
This event invites the community to contribute nonperishable food and financial gifts to fill a massive Mayflower truck, delivering essential supplies for local families in need.
For more information on PensaCan, Manna, and other events, visit mannahelps.org and explore the Events section.
