Manna Food Center News

Posted by Robert Nelson 
on Nov 22, 2012
 
Economists may say the recession is long over, but at Manna Food Center we continue to see the unprecedented need for food in Montgomery County. As the new executive director, I have been moved to see how the community comes together to support Manna—as it has since 1983.  Manna has grown to serve over 40,000 households in the last year, up from 24,000 in 2008, and your support has made all the difference. 700,000 pounds of the food distributed through Manna came in from community food donations and almost half of our operating costs were defrayed by community residents.

 

 Your support continues to be critical now, when hunger in Montgomery
County is at record levels. One in four Montgomery County residents are
at risk for food insecurity and one-third of students in MCPS receive free
or reduced priced meals. Over the last two years, Manna has seen a 7%
increase in food assistance requests and this year has proved no different.
At Manna, we hear our clients' stories of hardship and understand the
need is real and complex. We see a cross-section of residents—from the
working poor to those hit hard by job loss or increasing cost of living—
and they are all struggling to put food on the table and take care of
themselves and their families. With your support, Manna can help.
Through Manna's signature programs, Food for Families and Smart
Sacks, more than 184,000 people received emergency food, and 60% of
those were children. Children are particularly vulnerable to hunger.
Founded in 2005 by a partnership with Whole Foods Market, our Smart
Sacks program currently provides over 2,000 MCPS elementary school
children with food to take home for the weekend to help support their
nutritional needs when school meals are not available. Manna partners
with 55 Montgomery County public schools and 53 community-based
partners who volunteer to help administer the program at each school,
keeping Manna's overhead low. Students, families, teachers and school
officials participating in the Smart Sacks program tell us of the difference
it is making.
Sophie, a first grader, is being raised by her 18 year-old sister, who has
taken responsibility for the family after the loss of their mother. Sophie
will tell you her sister, a recent high school graduate, has to "work to put
food on the table." Sis is doing the best she can—Sophie comes in
everyday with her hair freshly done in to short and neat pig tails on top of
her head, and in fresh, clean clothes. Sophie receives a Smart Sacks bag

every Friday through her school, which helps her prepare for the week ahead by stretching their food budget
a little further. She has such a great attitude about everything in her home life and her school life, despite the
extremely limited resources at home. Smart Sacks is making a difference for Sophie.
At another elementary school, there are three boys from the same home being raised by a working, singlemother.
The 1st, 3r d, and 4t h graders come in everyday wearing, as the principal describes it, "a mischievous
smile that melts your heart." Whenever Justin, the first grader, sees the principal he remembers that she
keeps fruit cups in her office, and always smilingly asks for one. The principal knows that many children,
like Justin, are hungry, and encourages them to advocate for themselves, and if they need food to ask for it.
Justin and his brothers receive their weekend meals through Smart Sacks, which helps take the worry off of
their hard working mom.
Smart Sacks and our other supplemental food programs make a difference.
Because of you:
Every weekend, over 2,000 children will receive a Smart Sacks bag of nutritious food to eat when
school meals are not available.
• Every month, about 3,600 households will receive a supplemental package of well-balanced,
nutritious, fresh & non-perishable food through Food for Families.
• Annually, 50 social service organizations will receive at least 300,000 pounds of food to distribute to
their needy clients at shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries.
Your generous donation to Manna's Annual Holiday Hunger Drive you will help us make a difference
in the lives of Montgomery Counties must vulnerable residents.
Your support directly helps Sophie, Justin, and thousands of other children and adults who struggle with
food insecurity. For every dollar you donate, $0.95 cents goes directly to food distribution for our neighbors
in need. Over the past 29 years, Manna Food Center has supplied 43 million pounds of food to 2.7 million
neighbors in Montgomery County and your support has made all the difference. As we come into our 30th
year, Manna continues to strive to fight hunger and feed hope right here in your neighborhood.
Sincerely,
Minerva Delgado
Executive Director
P.S. In October, Manna lost a dear team member and friend. Karen A. Goldberg, former Director of
the Smart Sacks program, passed away on October 6th. To honor Karen and her legacy of caring, our
Smart Sacks program will change to the Karen Goldberg Smart Sacks Program. Thank you to
everyone who has and continues to support Karen's great work here at Manna.