Manna Food Center Inc

Programs: Manna food center, inc. ("manna") is a non-profit organization that ismontgomery county, maryland's largest and most far-reaching provider offood assistance. Manna strives to meet its neighbors' requests forservices by serving as both a food bank and a food pantry. For 35 years, manna has been a reliable "thread" in the socialsafety net for the vulnerable: the elderly, the disabled, individualsand families in crisis that require a supplement of nutritious food. Manna's work is built on three pillars that create a unique andcomprehensive approach to hunger relief. Pillar 1: reduce hunger and improve access to nutritious food for county residents who experience food insecurity. Pillar 2: strengthen community food skills and knowledge to encourageand enable healthy eating. Pillar 3: connect montgomery county neighbors to service providers andto each other. Manna is the main food bank in montgomery county, and nearly every county agency and nonprofit organization relies on manna to provide essential food to their clients through our referral system. The vision of manna is a county where all people at all times have access to good food so they can lead fulfilling lives and contribute to the community. Manna's signature programs include:food distribution to families:manna's regular food distribution program feeds approximately 3,284 families each month. Clients may request to receive food by calling manna directly or by referral from local organizations. Clients may pick up food every 30 days at one of manna's distribution sites located all across montgomery county. They receive a 3 to 5 day supply of perishable and shelf-stable food. We also deliver food directly to several low-income apartment complexes and community centers across the county. Manna delivered food to approximately 9,000 families and approximately 26,401 individuals over multiple occasions during fiscal year 2018. Smart sacks: distributes food through a network of 57 montgomery county public elementary schools. The program fills a critical gap by providingfood to children and their families on fridays during the school year and during the summer months in order to ensure they have nutritious food to eat during the weekend. The program reaches about 2,725 children each week during the school year and 240 children weekly from mid-june to the end of august. The food bags are full of nutritious food that is selected by manna's registered dietitian. Use of the ingredients provided and sustained healthy eating is encouraged through educational materials included in the smart sacks bags throughout the school year and summer months. Community food rescue (cfr): is a first-of-its kind, coordinated foodrecovery network led by manna and building on the former food for agencies program. By partnering with a range of hunger relief organizations, volunteers and business, 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 are offered in order to build capacity and increase food-rescuing capabilities. Nutrition education: nutrition educators teach clients about unit price comparison and reading nutrition labels in order to stretch tight budgets when purchasing healthy food. Manna also hosts workshops, cooking demos, and tours where neighbors gather. The free programs make crucial health information more accessible. In fy18, manna started the manna mobile kitchen and pop-up pantry, known as "manny". Manny serves two separate functions, as a classroom to teach general nutrition principles through cooking, and as a food distribution vehicle. Breaking bread: breaking bread is a conversation series to help identify and solidify common values necessary to successfully combat hunger. Breaking bread creates a space and intentional conversations to nurture dialogue around critical issues, such as race, class, and a culture of dependency, that create or contribute to hunger and food insecurity in our community. The first series of dinners began in 2015 and conversations open to all residents of montgomery county are held monthly.