The staff and Board of Directors remain grateful for everyone who is supporting Manna Food Center during the COVID-19 response. We have been simultaneously protecting our team and the public, maintaining our core services, creating nimble responses and preparing for future phases. Our firm belief is that if we remain calm, compassionate, and professional we will be a stronger community for surviving this public health crisis. It will get worse before it gets better, but as humanitarians, we know from experience it will get better. It is beyond gratifying to me personally to know that individuals and organizations want to be helpful as the situation continues to unfold. I want to share the best, most comprehensive information that I have.
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If you need food support:
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We are currently distributing food on our regular schedule at all our
distribution sites
. Some processes remain the same:
Schedule:
Call 301-424-1130 by 3 PM the day before you want to pick up, to schedule your appointment.
Eligibility:
Right now eligibility for food remains every 30 days.
Please prepare for and expect these
temporary changes
to promote safety and create space for social distancing. Help us promote your
safety
and that of your neighbors, our staff, and volunteers.
- You may be asked to select a one-hour pick-up appointment time, to allow us to spread food pick-ups across the distribution time and avoid large gatherings.
- Most food distributions will be held outside, to maximize open spaces
- When you arrive please hold up, not hand, your ID to a Manna staff or volunteer
- The Manna staff or volunteer will sign their name on your behalf. No need to touch a pen or hold a clipboard
- All food will be pre-packed, to enable you to pick up and go when it is your turn. We always do our best to ensure the packages are as consistent as possible, with a healthy mix of fresh, frozen and shelf-stable foods
- Surfaces will be disinfected regularly
- Staff & volunteers will be wearing gloves; they will be available to assist with carrying food to your car only on an as-needed basis.
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Donate a "Stay Put Pack"
We are currently packing boxes with the generous monetary and food donations contributed over the past few days! Moving forward, we anticipate the need to purchase pre-packed food boxes, like those you may see at the grocery store register during the holidays. This will cut down on staff & volunteer time and ensure we are well positioned to push food out into the community as the situation changes.
$25
will support the procurement of one box. Donate today to Double Your Impact thanks to a generous 1:1 matching gift opportunity provided by The Cliff and Deborah White Family Foundation, a donor advised fund of The Community Foundation. Every $25 will become $50 and provide two boxes.
Click Here.
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Volunteer
Thank you for wanting to join the team. Join our Special Response Task Force by visiting this web page and following the instructions.
Click Here
.
Donate Food
Institutional Food
If your office, cafeteria, institutional kitchen is temporarily closing and you have food to donate, please consider Manna’s
Community Food Rescue
program.
Click Here.
Advocate
Keep up-to-date on advocacy efforts by responding to the action alerts of our partner, FRAC/Maryland Hunger Solutions, to support those vulnerable in our community and our country.
Click Here.
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Additional Resources:
- MCPS Grab & Go School Meal Sites are offered in targeted locations across the county. Click Here.
- Mental Health Solutions EveryMind offers free support to help us all manage the stress of this difficult situation Click Here.
- Updates from Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. It is very important in uncertain times like these that we follow the guidance of our trusted local officials. Click Here.
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I want to reassure everyone who makes our work possible, or who benefits from our services, that the leadership of Manna Food Center is carefully monitoring developments during this national emergency. We are actively consulting with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, and a robust network of non-profit and safety-net providers to offer the most responsible, effective responses.
Finally, I want to thank the donors, partner agencies, volunteers, and most especially the staff of Manna Food Center who are responding with generosity, open-heartedness, and a “can do” spirit. It is an honor to be a part of your team.
Yours in service-
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