MANNA FOOD CENTER INC
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Mission Statement
Manna is the primary food resource for individuals and families who are experiencing hunger and food insecurity in Montgomery County, MD. Annually we provide essential food to nearly 40,000 individuals and rescue more than 2.1 million pounds of food each year. We are proud to help end hunger while reducing food waste in our community.
About This Cause
Manna Food Center strives to eliminate hunger in Montgomery County through food distribution, education, and advocacy. Manna has been the primary food resource for the county since 1983, serving nearly 40,000 individuals each year and providing food to dozens of homeless shelters, pantries and soup kitchens throughout the county. Last year Manna rescued/recovered 2,386,829 pounds of food from grocery stores and food retailers as well as farmers and farmers markets. Not only did this food go to individuals experiencing hunger and food insecurity in our community, it kept more than 2.3 million pounds of food out the waste stream in the county. We believe in leveraging community resources to counter hunger in the most effective and efficient manner possible; in this case it is filling bellies, not dumpsters. Manna is also a leader in promoting healthy, nutritious foods, creating our menus based on the USDA’s “my plate” recommendations. In addition to initiatives such as Farm to Food Bank and Community Food Rescue, Manna operates three primary food distribution programs: Food for Families, Smart Sacks, and Food for Agencies. Food for Families serves an average of 3,760 households monthly; annually this program reaches more than 38,000 individuals who are struggling with hunger and food insecurity. Families are eligible to receive approximately 70 pounds of food every 30 days. These foods include shelf-stable items, fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared food items, bread, and frozen meats. We can also accommodate people living with diabetes, vegetarians and people with religious dietary needs. Families are eligible for support as long as they are County residents and have a household income below the self-sufficiency standard for the County. The Smart Sacks program partners with 52 businesses/organizations and 60 public elementary schools to provide a seven-pound bag of healthy food to approximately 2,358 students weekly. This program provides a seven pound bag of healthy foods for weekend meals every Friday to elementary school children at risk of hunger and food insecurity. This program helps to remove hunger as a barrier to success for at risk elementary school students ensuring that they return to school on Monday mornings properly nourished and ready to learn. Through Food for Agencies, Manna provides food to other social service organizations across the county to eliminate hunger as a barrier to self-sufficiency for their program participants. This sharing of resources helps these partners focus their limited funding on non-food related needs.