December 16, 2020
A MANNA Client’s Newsletter to Friends
This month, we have a guest post from a MANNA client – Lou. He has been receiving MANNA meal deliveries for several months now, and sent this message to his family and friends after receiving his Thanksgiving meal. This is shared with Lou’s permission and excitement!
As most of you know, I’ve been receiving delivered meals from MANNA for several weeks now.
As an active client, I was one of over 1,800 fortunate individuals throughout the Delaware Valley who were eligible to receive their Thanksgiving meal on the holiday. MANNA also baked 10,000 pies, and, from what I hear, they were all sold.
MANNA did a first-class, exemplary job of providing a delicious, bountiful meal intended to feed four people. Every aspect of the service bespoke of quality—in the packaging, presentation and food preparation. The delivery volunteer appeared promptly at 10:15 AM, wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving, with two large reusable cloth bags, adorned and imprinted with MANNA and Thanksgiving 2020 logos and text celebrating 30 years–filled with food.
There was a large aluminum pan filled with between 8 to 10 slabs (not slices)—some almost an inch thick—of tender, juicy, white turkey meat, adorned with green garnishes and a quarter of an orange in every corner. There was a large turkey thigh basted or marinated in a tasty brine, which was in a separate plastic bag. Altogether, half of a freshly roasted turkey was provided.
Also part of the meal was homemade turkey gravy, homemade cole slaw, four servings of delicious cornbread stuffing, seasoned mashed candied yams (delightful), seasoned and garnished green beans, whole cranberry sauce, a large garden salad with lettuce, olives, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, croutons and balsamic vinaigrette, a homemade bread box with four fresh Le Bus rolls, two large chocolate chip cookies, two large sugar cookies, a pumpkin loaf, and a full size MANNA apple pie with laced crust.
This would have been a fine feast for four people, but it kept me stuffed for four days. My many thanks go to the folks who donate to this wonderful charity, or who volunteer in the food preparation and delivery.
This year, since there was no Thanksgiving Day parade down the Ben Franklin Parkway, it was reported on the news that some of the delivery vehicles were adorned with balloons and other decorations as they lined up outside MANNA’s nutrition center on North 20th Street, just off the Parkway, in the Art Museum/Fairmount District of the city.
MANNA gave me a wonderful Thanksgiving alone during this pandemic. As they say, food is medicine, and food is also love. Their outreach to the community with genuine love, caring, commitment and cheerful, due diligence is greatly appreciated with heartfelt gratitude.
MANNA, the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance, greatly exemplifies and expresses the true Spirit of Philadelphia—the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.
I hope that you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving, and remain safe and well.
–Lou