Friend of Manna Food Center
When I’m out and about in the community this summer, people regularly ask, “How is the move going?” On my best days, I note that there are the usual delays and budget overruns, but I’m so excited about all that is being created—a revamped distribution hub and a new food center in Silver Spring. On those not-so-centered days, I grit my teeth and say, “Well, it’s actually four moves.”
Yes, this summer
Manna Food Center is moving FOUR TIMES
. We’ve already accomplished a temporary shift from 9311 Gaither to 8341 Beechcraft Ave
(Pictured: Jamal Ray, Warehouse Manager, moves equipment onto a flatbed truck).
We’ll be relocated there until early September, while our warehouse is renovated.
One down three to go!
This Friday, beginning at noon our offices will close, our administrative, fundraising, programs, and services will make move #2 to a new home at 12301 Old Columbia Pike. Later this summer, move #3 is also at the 12301 building. We’ll offer a market for shopping, a classroom for learning, and conference and “touch down” space for collaborating.
As fall approaches in our fourth and final move, our logistics team will return to 9311 Gaither Rd. better able to receive, store, and share millions of pounds of food. When it is all said and done, Manna will have accomplished much more than a move. We will have transformed our organization into
a place where the community comes together through the power of food to be nourished, make connections, and ensure there is Food for All
.
While all this change is exciting, some of the stress comes from saying goodbye. Our team—including our volunteers—will be functioning out of new locations in new ways. This means that Miss Blanche Hall, our warehouse clerk, won’t be greeting participants with her distinctive warm welcome. Some long-time volunteers have decided that now is the time to put down their boxes and phones. Although we understand the decisions, we are sad that Manna’s new ways and spaces don’t meet everyone’s service needs (
Secretly, we hope to tempt them back with cool new volunteer opportunities such as serving as shopping assistants on nights and weekends
).
Part of our moves
this summer is a big leap of faith
—that updating our equipment, evolving our services, and getting closer to those who need us will result in more food security, better health, and strong communities. Thank you for getting us to this place in our history and for coming along for the journey!
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Cal Ripken Feed the Hungry Challenge
Donate at Giant this Saturday,
10am - 2pm
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In Montgomery County, more people than you can imagine struggle to put food on the table. In these challenging times, 3,300 families rely on the Manna Food Center for food each month. This summer,
you can help our neighbors in need
by supporting the Tenth Annual Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League’s Feed the Hungry Challenge.
Since 2010, Ripken League players have collected nearly 27 tons of food for Manna Food Center.
Each family that donates two or more cans or boxes of food will receive a free family pass for four to a regular season game
this July in your favorite Cal Ripken League ballpark. The team whose fans donate the most food will win the Annual Challenge Cup!
Visit one of the 12 Giant Food stores listed below on Saturday to not only support Manna but cheer on your favorite team.
Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts
Arliss Street Center – 8750 Arliss St
Blair Park – 1280 East West Highway
Westfield Wheaton – 2900 University Blvd.
White Oak – 11221 New Hampshire Ave.
Bethesda Big Train
Cabin John – 7919 Tuckerman Lane
Georgetown Square – 10400 Old Georgetown Rd.
Montrose Crossing – 12051 Rockville Pike
Westwood – 5400 Westbard Avenue
Gaithersburg Giants
Flower Hill – 18250 Flower Hill Way
Goshen Crossing – 20044 Goshen Road
Kentlands – 229 Kentlands Boulevard
Shady Grove – 16837 Crabbs Branch Way
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Happy Manna-versary to
Colesville Presbyterian Church!
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Colesville Presbyterian Church volunteers and Toby Weismiller hold special banner with Manna Food Center staff Angela Whitmal, Jackie DeCarlo, and Jenna Umbriac.
In the spring of 2014, a group of congregants from Colesville Presbyterian Church approached Manna Food Center to ask if they could become a distribution site. They had seen how we operated at the nearby East County Community Center and had even tested whether or not they could lift the boxes of 60 pounds of food. Lucky for them (or at least for their backs), we had a different idea in mind when we asked if they would experiment with a new choice model pantry. Lucky for us, they accepted the challenge and with a basic framework provided by Manna they created a monthly opportunity for community members to come together and support one another.
CPC's focus on hospitality is evident in the way each person is treated when they come to the church. A close fellowship has formed among volunteers and participants. They come together around food and share comforting hugs, smiles, and laughter.
Over the last 5 years they’ve been steady on Manna’s vision of providing “good food in welcoming spaces” and Manna is now using the CPC example as a foundation for new choice sites at Silver Spring United Methodist Church, Gaithersburg Middle School and our upcoming marketplace at 12301 Old Columbia Pike. (
See full distribution site list.)
We enjoyed sharing our gratitude with CPC members and patrons of the pantry at a potluck dinner hosted by CPC on June 30.
Happy Anniversary to all the volunteers and staff at Colesville Presbyterian Church!
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More Than A Move
Warehouse & Office Changes
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Manna Warehouse Closed for Renovations
As of Monday, July 8, 2019 our warehouse located at 9311 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 is temporarily closed for renovation. Our temporary location is 8341 Beechcraft Ave. Gaithersburg, MD 20879.
Food Donations & Caseworkers:
All food donations and pickups by caseworkers are at 8341 Beechcraft Ave.
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New Office Starting July 15
On Friday, July 12 at Noon, Manna's office will close to transition to new offices at 12301 Old Columbia Pike in Silver Spring. This location will also be the future site of a choice market and classroom.
Please be aware that after 12 pm on July 12, you will not be able to reach Manna staff via telephone until the afternoon of Monday, July 15. Referrals can be made via 311 during the down time.
Celebrate with Us in October!
We will have celebrations for our new & renovated spaces in October. Check our website for details soon.
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Jaimie Mulligan shares how to bring more leafy greens into your diet:
“Eat your greens” was a common phrase at my dinner table growing up. My mother was desperate to get all three of her children to eat vibrant leafy vegetables. Red, orange, yellow, purple, and basically any other colored vegetables and fruits never seemed to spark as much dinner-time contention as the green ones. For years my little sister would even pick parsley out of her mashed potatoes to avoid anything green! I often wondered why my mom was so insistent that I eat the pile of spinach sitting on my plate. Today we are going to explore why greens are central to a healthy diet, where to find a variety of different greens, and how to cook them to make them irresistible.
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4 Easily Ways to Add Greens into Your Daily Diet:
- Add something leafy and green (like kale or spinach) to a premade item like canned soups, delivery pizza, or even a frozen meal. The added greens will help increase the nutrient density of an otherwise lacking meal.
- Make breakfast green! Greens taste great inside of an omelet or mixed into your scrambled eggs in the morning. Add greens to your morning toast and top it sparingly with your favorite dressing.
- Make a green smoothie: add a large handful of spinach to a smoothie. You’ll notice the color and added nutrition, but not the flavor.
- Have a green snack. Heat up your oven and make some kale chips with your greens, oil, and salt. You’ll love how crispy and delicious greens can be.
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Swiss Chard is a leafy vegetable that is related to beets. It has crunchy stems that are commonly red, though can also be white or yellow. The leaves range in color from dark green to reddish green. The flavor is like beets and spinach, with slight bitterness, and strong earthy flavor. Swiss chard is an excellent source of potassium, calcium and magnesium, minerals that help maintain healthy blood pressure
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Greens & Beans Hash
By:
Jaimie Mulligan
Servings
: 4
Time
: 15 minutes
Source:
The Kitchn: Kelli Foster
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons za'atar or favorite seasoning blend, divided
- 1 medium bunch Swiss chard (about 10 ounces), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 large eggs, poached or fried
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beans, spread into an even layer, and cook undisturbed until the beans are lightly browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning and stir to combine. Spread the beans out again and cook, stirring as needed, until golden-brown and blistered on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the chard, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of seasoning, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon juice, and toss to combine.
- Divide the beans and greens among 4 bowls, and top each with a poached or fried egg and more red pepper flakes. Serve warm.
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Breaking Bread: The Human Right to Food
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What comes to mind when you think of your human rights? Maybe the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Have you ever considered food as a basic human right? If you have, it’s likely you’ve thought about it in the context of global food security.
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Available Volunteer Opportunities
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NOTE:
Due to the nature of our operations and upcoming renovations, we have a limited number of volunteer spaces available for the next few months.
Email
Katie
(katie@mannafood.org) for more information.
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Food Distribution
Please note
: As of July 8 warehouse operations have moved to a temporary location while the warehouse is under renovation.
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Participant Services Representative
Help log referrals by phone, fax, and email in to our database. Volunteers must be able to commit to a minimum of 6 months.
Please Note
: Operations will transition over to our 12301 Old Columbia Pike location in July.
English/Spanish bi-lingual skills are a plus!
Shifts Currently Available: Day, Evening, or Floater (shift varies based on need)
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Satellite Distribution Centers
Volunteers needed to help distribute prepacked boxes, assist clients to their car, and take in food donations.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3pm-7pm
Gaithersburg Middle School
Wednesdays 3pm-7pm
Clifton Park Baptist Church
(formerly Long Branch Satellite)
Fridays 1pm-4pm
East County Regional Service Center
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Food Runners
Join Community Food Rescue (CFR), Montgomery County's network for food recovery. Help deliver rescued food to area shelters.
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A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Donors
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We extend a warm and sincere THANK YOU to all of the organizations and businesses that have donated food and funds between May 16, 2019 - June 15, 2019.
Without your incredible generosity, we would not be able to feed families in our community.
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Adat Shalom Congregation
Al Sur Latin Kitchen LLC
APA Inc.
Bethesda Central Farmers' Market
Bethesda Co-Op
Bethesda Marriott Suites
Box Associates Limited Partnership
Capital Area Food Bank
Central Farm Markets at Westfield Montgomery Mall
Christ the Servant Lutheran Church
Church of The Redeemer
City of Gaithersburg
City of Rockville
Covenant Family Chapel
DC Metro Sai Samsthan
Dick and Jody Vilardo Foundation
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
First Fruits Farm
French International School
Gaithersburg Chapter #5358 of AARP
Giant Food
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Great American Restaurants
Harris Teeter
Hermon Presbyterian Church
Hilton Washington DC North/Gaithersburg
Holy Cross Hospital
Imperfect Produce
Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant UMC
Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary
Kadia's Kitchen LLC
Kaiser Permanente
Lanigan, Ryan, Malcom & Doyle PC
Larry E. Paul Certified Financial Planner
MAAPPS
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Mix A Bar
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Master Gardeners
Montgomery County Thrift Shop Board
Montgomery Manor Homeowners Association
National Council of Jewish Women
Norman's Farm Markets
Norwood School
Olney Farmers & Artists' Market
Olney Help
Open Text Inc.
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
PEK Properties
Philip L. Graham Fund
Pilgrim's Pride
Response Tech
Rockville Farmers' Market
Rodgers Consulting Inc
Roots
Safeway
Saint Mark Presbyterian Church
Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.
Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation Inc.
St. Jude's Leisure Club
State of Maryland
Suburban Nursery School
TD Charitable Foundation
The Miller/Sears Family Fund
Tikvat Israel Congregation
Trader Joe's
Travilah Elementary School
True Buddha Temple Maryland
Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville
Universities at Shady Grove
USPS
Village of Martin's Additions
Wegmans
Whole Foods Market
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If you're interested in donating food, making a financial contribution, or volunteering, please contact us at:
Manna Food Center
9311 Gaither Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
301-424-1130
Remember to support Manna through your workplace giving campaign.
United Way # 8846 - CFC # 23028
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