Dear Supporter,

I love Spring, the season of renewal. I feel renewed energy to get outside and walk during these longer, warmer days. I like seeing more of my neighbors, and I so enjoy the flowers and vegetables that are emerging from Spring gardens (if not the pollen and coming cicadas.) I also love this season because it's the time when Manna honors individuals and organizations who stand out for their contributions to fighting hunger in our community. Our Heroes Against Hunger celebration never fails to renew my confidence that together, we can attain Manna's vision of a community where all people at all times have access to safe, sufficient, nutritious food.

This year, we celebrated our heroes from a distance. While we sorely missed sharing food and fellowship in person, our talented team created a virtual award show that had the audience laughing, crying, and inspired by the tremendous heroes we honored. Don't worry if you missed it, because in this newsletter you can read who this year's heroes are and watch a recording of the live show.

You'll also learn about opportunities to contribute your time, talents, and treasure to support our neighbors who are struggling. TODAY, Friday, we'd love for you to participate in our April Breaking Bread conversation, where we'll explore what it will take to create solutions that help our community become more just and equitable. You may want to support the Literacy Council of Montgomery County as they honor individuals (including yours truly) at their upcoming Community Builders awards event, May 6. And if you have time to give, please consider joining our volunteer call center team. Thank you for all you do to support Manna as we strive to offer good food in welcoming spaces.

Mask up!
Jackie DeCarlo
CEO, Manna Food Center
#ICYMI: Heroes Against Hunger
What in the world are Manna's Mardia Dennis and Jenna Umbriac doing? Find out by watching our 2021 Heroes Against Hunger Awards show, complete with a skit the audience helped create, "Manna Libs" style, and video tributes to our three heroes: Bruce Adams (Individual Hero), Cigna (Corporate Hero), and Rainbow Community Development Center (Community Hero). Click here to watch.
Join the Conversation!

The past year of a global pandemic, national racial reckoning, and a spike in hunger inspired one Manna volunteer to exclaim that, “Normal wasn’t working” for so many of our neighbors in Montgomery County.

Join us TODAY from 12:00-1:30pm for this month's virtual Breaking Bread conversation, where participants, Catherine Copp and David Luckett, will lead us in considering what it will take to uncover solutions that help our community create a new "normal" that is more just and equitable. Learn more and register here.
Celebrate Jackie DeCarlo: LCMC Community Builder of the Year
The Literacy Council of Montgomery County (LCMC) is honoring Manna’s CEO, Jackie DeCarlo, with their Community Builder of the Year award next week! Manna is fortunate to serve alongside nonprofits like LCMC that are striving as we are to ensure everyone in our vibrant multicultural community has access to the tools, resources, and opportunities to thrive. Please consider joining LCMC on May 6th for their awards event, “Raise a Glass, Raise a Community” to celebrate Jackie and other community leaders and learn more about LCMC’s important work. Purchase tickets here. You can also watch Jackie’s conversation with LCMC’s executive director, Gabriel Martinez Cabrera, by clicking here.
 
Join Manna's Volunteer Virtual Call Center Team!

Would you like to put your communication skills to work to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity? We'll provide virtual training sessions so you'll be ready to direct questions from the public, assess if people qualify for our programs and delivery services, inform people of food pick up policies and location information, direct people to other services, and use our Salesforce database for scheduling. Volunteers must be comfortable speaking on the phone, using a computer, and be able to volunteer one morning or afternoon each week for at least 6 months to a year. Bi-lingual skills are a plus but not required. If you are interested, please contact Katie@mannafood.org.