Month: April 2020

April 17, 2020 Dear Friends, MANNA is continuing to serve more clients than ever! MANNA has ordered a new delivery vehicle to meet this increase in demand. We are serving more than 1500 clients a week, which is a 20% increase in just one month. Next week marks National Volunteer Appreciation Week. Usually, that is a big week of celebration at MANNA, honoring the over 10,000 volunteers who have donated their time to MANNA during the last year. While it looks a bit different for us this year, what remains the same is the passion and love that our volunteers put into our client meals each and every day. I can’t help but feel that MANNA is so truly lucky to be part of a community that rallies around us and shows up when we need it most. From volunteers to supporters to donors to our friends on social media – we see you, we appreciate you, and we love you. We can’t say it enough – volunteers are essential. Please join me next week in showing our volunteers some “virtual love” on our Facebook page. As we sort out our new normal and what the coming year may hold, we know that one thing will not change: your incredible commitment to our mission. From one of our clients, Mary: “You don’t know how much of a blessing you are. I know everyone’s a volunteer, and I am just in awe. It is especially amazing now since I can’t go to the store. It’s just incredible.” From another of our clients, Gwendolyn: “Bless you for what you’re doing. I used to volunteer at MANNA years ago and now I’m getting the meals myself.”  If you are able, I invite you to contribute to our efforts amidst this crisis by either joining us as a volunteer or making a donation. From all of us – thank you and stay safe. Best Regards,

Sue Daugherty, RDN LDN MANNA CEO

April 10, 2020 Dear Friends, We’ve made it through another week! Thanks to the support from your generous donations and the hard work of 126 volunteers, we continue to deliver a record-breaking amount of meals. We are working hard to make sure the operational changes we are making are sustainable, and we are so grateful that our community has responded in such an incredible way. From individuals and families to local businesses and national corporations, we are truly blown away. Our clients have been calling to pass along their thanks to the entire MANNA family, and I wanted to pass along some of their messages. First, a message from Jesse: “The contactless delivery is so amazing. We are quarantined because of my chemo, and it’s so dangerous for me to have contact with anyone. The deliveries are consistent, and I love being able to wave and say thank you to the driver! The food is restaurant quality – honestly. Second to none. I am so impressed. I am so grateful. We really are stuck. We can’t go out at all – we can’t grocery shop. It’s impossible! Grocery shopping could kill me. I’m so shocked and impressed that my wife is able to get meals as well – I can’t thank you all enough for looking out for us.” Our sweet client Gloria turns 81 this weekend. As is MANNA tradition, we sent a cake and a card this week. She shared: “You made my day so happy for my 81st Birthday. I just want to say thank you for the birthday card, thank you for the birthday cake. You really made my 81st Birthday really special in the midst of all of this. To all of you – stay in good health. Thank you so much for your generosity, I do really appreciate it. God bless all of you.” If you are looking for a way to help as the weeks turn into months, I ask that you please consider  making a donation to support our efforts during this crisis. Thank you to the entire MANNA community for your support. From all of us – thank you and stay safe. Best Regards,

Sue Daugherty, RDN LDN MANNA CEO

April 3, 2020

Dear Friends,

We are ending another successful week of delivering 34,545 meals to MANNA’s clients and their families. This is a significant increase from just one month ago, and a sign of the stress this current crisis is putting on our community. We are seeing demand for our services rise, and with your help we are doing our best to meet the need. I cannot stress enough how grateful we are for the unwavering support of our greater MANNA community.

We have one final operational update this week that we wanted to share with you.

As of today, Friday, April 3, all MANNA staff and volunteers will be wearing face masks in our facility and while out on deliveries. This is for the safety of our clients, volunteers, and staff. MANNA continues to enforce social distancing practices in our facility and our No-Contact delivery policy. The use of face masks is an additional health and safety measure.

We will be providing masks, but volunteers are also welcome to bring their own. Masks should be worn at all times while in our facility, and absolutely no volunteer or staff is allowed in our kitchen without a mask.

Using guidance from the World Health Organization, MANNA has developed specific face mask guidelines and protocol for MANNA volunteers and staff. When arriving for your shift, you must wait for a member of the Volunteer Services team to review kitchen safety and mask protocol with the entire shift’s volunteers as a group before entering the kitchen.

Earlier this week, a grandmother caring for her grandchildren told us “Can I just say that you are the greatest blessing ever? I give the meals 6 stars out of 5.”

Another client wanted to pass along that “this is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me… I feel like someone’s looking out for me.”

And finally, “please thank everyone involved. You’re really helping a lot of people like me who need it.”

Thank you to the entire MANNA community for your support. If you are looking for a way to help, I ask that you please consider making a donation to support our efforts during this crisis.

From all of us – thank you and stay safe.

Best Regards,

Sue Daugherty, RDN LDN

MANNA CEO