Manna Food Center Inc

ELIMINATE HUNGER IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD THROUGH FOOD DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

MANNA FOOD CENTER, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND'S LARGEST AND MOST FAR-REACHING PROVIDER OF FOOD ASSISTANCE. THE ORGANIZATION STRIVES TO MEET ITS NEIGHBORS' REQUESTS FOR SERVICES BY SERVING AS BOTH A FOOD BANK AND A FOOD PANTRY. FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN A RELIABLE "THREAD" IN THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET FOR THE VULNERABLE: THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS THAT REQUIRE A SUPPLEMENT OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD.THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK IS BUILT ON THREE PILLARS THAT CREATE A UNIQUE AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HUNGER RELIEF.PILLAR 1: REDUCE HUNGER AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY.PILLAR 2: STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY FOOD SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO ENCOURAGE AND ENABLE HEALTHY EATING.PILLAR 3: CONNECT MONTGOMERY COUNTY NEIGHBORS TO SERVICE PROVIDERS AND TO EACH OTHER.THE ORGANIZATION IS THE MAIN FOOD BANK IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AND NEARLY EVERY LOCAL COUNTY AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION RELIES ON THE ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL FOOD TO THEIR CLIENTS THROUGH THEIR REFERRAL SYSTEM. THE VISION FOR THE ORGANIZATION IS TO BE AT THE CENTER OF ENDING HUNGER IN THEIR COMMUNITY. DISTRIBUTES TO AN AVERAGE OF 4,850 FAMILIES APPROXIMATELY 50 POUNDS OF FRESH VEGETABLES, PANTRY STABLES, BREADS, AND FROZEN MEATS EACH MONTH. THIS PROGRAM SERVES 38,326 INDIVIDUALS WITH MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD. QUALIFYING FAMILIES MUST REPORT INCOME BELOW MARYLAND'S SELF-SUFFICIENCY STANDARD; HOWEVER, THIS REQUIREMENT HAS BEEN WAIVED SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. THIS PROGRAM IS RUN AT 22 SITES AND INCLUDES DELIVERY TO QUALIFYING FAMILIES.

SMART SACKS: DISTRIBUTES FOOD THROUGH A NETWORK OF ALMOST 60 MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM FILLS A CRITICAL GAP BY PROVIDING FOOD TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ON FRIDAYS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO ENSURE THEY HAVE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO EAT DURING THE WEEKEND. THE PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED 429,610 POUNDS OF FOOD TO NEARLY 27,000 CHILDREN THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR. ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S NEWER INITIATIVES, SCHOOL-BASED PANTRIES, CONTINUED TO EXPAND BY ADDING KEMP MILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WITH HARMONY HILLS AND HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE 3 PANTRIES RESULTED IN THE ORGANIZATION'S DOUBLING SERVICE NUMBERS, SUPPORTING 6,773 SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OVERALL, INCLUDING 38,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE AND PANTRY STAPLES AT THE PANTRIES.

COMMUNITY FOOD RESCUE (CFR): IS A FIRST-OF-ITS KIND, COORDINATED FOOD RECOVERY NETWORK LED BY THE ORGANIZATION AND BUILDING ON THE FORMER FOOD FOR AGENCIES PROGRAM. BY PARTNERING WITH A RANGE OF HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS, VOLUNTEERS AND BUSINESSES, THE INITIATIVE IS MAKING SURE THAT EDIBLE FOOD REACHES HUNGRY NEIGHBORS. CFR BUILDS UPON THE WORK OF ESTABLISHMENTS ALREADY RECOVERING GOOD FOOD BEFORE IT IS THROWN AWAY AND IDENTIFIES NEW DONORS. STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY MAKES REAL-TIME MATCHES BASED ON GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. TRAININGS AND MINI-GRANTS ARE OFFERED TO BUILD CAPACITY AND INCREASE FOOD-RESCUING CAPABILITIES.