FRESH NEWS September 2021
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Monthly News from MANNA FoodBank
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- The current state of food insecurity in WNC
- September is Hunger Action Month!
- Ingles' Day at the Mountain State Fair
- Empty Bowls tickets are now on sale
- Recognitions + Thank Yous
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Today in Western North Carolina, 1 in 6 people and 1 in 4 children are facing an empty bowl.
Tickets for MANNA's 2021 Empty Bowls event are officially on sale!
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The Current Reality Across Our Beautiful Region
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Dear Friends,
We hope this letter finds you and yours healthy and doing well. These are highly unusual times for all of us as we navigate the current landscape and challenges that so many are facing. Therefore, we wanted to take a moment to remind you what a positive force that you are in the lives of so many of our neighbors in need across WNC.
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The current trends that we are seeing in the state of hunger across our beautiful region are very telling. We are still not anywhere near the pre-pandemic number of people who are finding themselves in great need of our support for food for themselves and their loved ones. As of the end of August, we are still serving nearly 30% more people than we were pre-pandemic when food insecurity across our region was already very high.
Disturbingly, the key drivers behind the high food insecurity rates across WNC have worsened by the economic challenges created by the pandemic. At the center is the fact that the cost of living in the greater Asheville area is higher than both nation and statewide averages while our median income is well below state and nationwide averages. This ever-widening gap makes it impossible for countless working poor families, seniors, women and people in marginalized communities to make ends meet.
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Thankfully, because of you, and all of our incredible supporters, we are heartened to share that we have made it through these tumultuous times together and have not missed a single day of getting food to those who need it most.
Through the collective efforts of people like you and all of our donors, volunteers and partners, we are reminded continuously that together, the strength of the human spirit can do what might once be thought impossible.
While we are still facing much uncertainty in the coming months, what we do know is that together, MANNA will continue to show up for all who need us across WNC. Thank you for all of the good that you bring to our neighbors in need and to this world.
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September is
Hunger Action Month
Take action to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors!
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Every September, the network of 200 Feeding America food banks and our partners in food security work to raise awareness of the dire issue that our country is facing - many Americans are facing an empty plate, and don't know where their next meal will come from.
In WNC, we are continuing to see an increased need for food as the pandemic and difficult economic times continue to dominate our region.
While the situation can be overwhelming, we want you to see what is truly overwhelming: the community of people that have come together since the pandemic to make sure that everyone in our region has food on their plates.
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"It only takes one act of kindness to inspire others and create change."
- Jennifer Hogan
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How You Can Take Action
Every Hunger Action Month, we put together a calendar with actions that can be taken each day. These actions aim to educate, while working towards a hunger-free WNC.
Be sure to participate in Hunger Action Month by printing out the calendar and completing as many actions as you can throughout the month!
Hunger Action Day: September 17th
On Friday, September 17th, we ask that you join us in celebrating Hunger Action Day by wearing orange and engaging friends and family in conversations about food insecurity and hunger. One of the best ways to do so is by posting a photo of yourself on social media in your orange attire and explaining why you're wearing orange, and then sharing your own experience of understanding hunger.
To make sure you don't miss a day, be sure to print out a copy of the Hunger Action Month calendar and challenge yourself to complete as many of the calls to action as possible throughout September!
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As a disaster relief organization, we are lifting up our dear neighbors in Haywood County and across the country who have been impacted by these devastating storms. They are all in our heartfelt thoughts and we and our sister food banks across the network are there for all who need us now and on the long road to recovery ahead.
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Ingles Day at the
Mountain State Fair
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Get your cans ready for one of our favorite food drives of the year!
Thanks to our incredible hometown grocery partner of over thirty years, Ingles Markets, you can help raise thousands of pounds of food for our neighbors facing hunger, and get free entry to the Mountain State Fair on Wednesday, September 15th.
To receive free admission to the Fair, all you need to do is bring 5 cans of Laura Lynn products to the fair gates on September 15th.
While the fair was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, MANNA received a whopping 22,273 pounds of canned food in 2019!
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Our Nutrition Works team works to provide our clients with recipes detailing how to cook up the food that they are bringing home from our mobile markets into delicious meals and treats.
As we move towards autumn, it is a perfect time to use those summer squashes and complement one of your meals with the Tomato and Yellow Squash Side Dish. Watch the video to learn how to prepare the tasty treat!
Trying out a recipe? Tag us on social media!
Share your results with us! If you love to share healthy recipes, make a recipe your own, or simply share your photos, we'd love to see how it turns out. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Happy (and healthy) cooking!
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MANNA is looking for passionate individuals who are eager to join our team and help create a food secure WNC!
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Tickets for the 20th Annual Empty Bowls are Now on Sale!
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MANNA FoodBank's 20th Annual Empty Bowls
Monday, October 18, 2021 | 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Asheville-Biltmore
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MANNA FoodBank is excited to announce that tickets are now on sale to the 20th Annual Empty Bowls event taking place on Monday, October 18, 2021!
During our masked walk-through event, our guests will select a bowl handmade by local artisans and take with them a seasonal meal of delicious soups, breads, and dessert served-up by local chefs. The souvenir bowl you take home will remind you of the many bowls that you will be filling for our neighbors in need across WNC.
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Parsec Financial Awards
MANNA the 2021 Parsec Prize
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We are deeply grateful for the long-standing support and partnership of Parsec Financial. This Parsec Prize will help provide much needed food and hope to the over 100,000 people a month across the WNC mountains who are accessing our partner agency network and mobile markets. We greatly appreciate Parsec’s outstanding commitment to the health and well-being of our neighbors in need across our region.
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We'd like to thank the following foundations for their support of MANNA through Feeding America:
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- Chick-fil-A Foundation
- The Darden Foundation
- Feeding America
- Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation
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- Michael Jordan
- Morgan Stanley Foundation
- Walmart Foundation
- Wells Fargo Foundation
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We'd like to thank the following Corporate Champions for stepping forward to help our neighbors access food:
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- Curtis Hi-Tech Auto Service Center
- Food Lion
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- Fred Anderson Toyota of Asheville
- Prestige Subaru
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We'd like to thank the following partners for hosting food drives and donating meals to MANNA:
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- Advance Auto Parts
- Asheville Tourists
- Department of Veterans Affairs
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- Kenmure Newcomers and Neighbors
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We want to thank all of you who have joined us in rising to meet the unprecedented need for food in WNC.
We are deeply grateful to have come this far together, and together, we can continue to serve all those who turn to MANNA in their moments of need.
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Involve, Educate, and UNITE
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MANNA FoodBank remains strongly committed to standing alongside all those united in seeking positive change, equity, and justice for all.
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Your Voice Matters:
Advocate for those experiencing poverty.
MANNA's mission is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger, and an important part of this mission is advocating for those living in and experiencing the effects of poverty.
As a non-partisan organization, dedicated to sharing information about the issues affecting the people we serve together, MANNA does not endorse political parties or candidates. We simply ask people to work with our elected officials to make legislation that works for us all, and makes our region, our state, and our country stronger from the ground up.
If you are interested in receiving advocacy-related emails from MANNA FoodBank, please click the button below. By clicking here, you are signing up to receive information from MANNA about ways you can use your voice, and actions you can take, to help work towards our vision of a hunger-free Western North Carolina.
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Give. Volunteer. Advocate.
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Looking for more day-to-day information, heartfelt moments, and ways you can be more connected to the community? Follow MANNA FoodBank on these social media platforms!
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