Alissa Vandenbark, Author at MANNA

OBSERVING NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH®

Posted on March 4, 2016October 10, 2018 by Alissa Vandenbark

Each year the month of March is reserved to promote nutrition education and spread awareness about making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The National Nutrition Month® theme for 2016 is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” which encourages everyone to take time to enjoy food traditions and appreciate the pleasures, great flavors and social experiences food can add to our lives. MANNA, in partnership with Presenting Sponsor Health Partners Plans, is committed to spreading awareness about nutrition all month. We will show appreciation for our Nutrition Department on Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day, observed March 6th, and by hosting Nourish (see below) on March 24th!

Nourish presented by Health Partners Plans will be held on Thursday, March 24th. Nourish provides a closer look at MANNA’s “food is medicine” model coupled with an opportunity for industry leaders to share ideas with their peers. This year’s event will consist of two educational seminars along with the presentation of MANNA’s Nourish Award to Dr. Rickie Brawer of Jefferson. All are welcome to attend one or more of the sessions and the award presentation. Seminar seating is limited; RSVP is required. Please see our Nourish page to register or contact Kate Baron at 215-496-2662 x 137 for additional information.

Presenting Sponsor:

Apple a Day Sponsors:

WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE SAYING

Posted on February 10, 2016October 10, 2018 by Alissa Vandenbark

Our volunteers are the heart of MANNA. With more than 4,200 neighbors donating 40,000+ hours of uncompensated service, we truly could not be more thankful for all they do. We hired the University of North Carolina’s Department of Psychology to evaluate our volunteer program with a validated survey tool. The results we received were profound and will help us improve the MANNA volunteer experience. Thank you to all who participated in the survey! Our dedicated volunteer force never ceases to amaze us.

Findings & Results:

More than half of volunteers have reported improved emotional well-being

1 in 4 people have reported improved relationships with their colleagues, subordinates and supervisors

88% of people report that their volunteer assignments at MANNA inspire them

“The people at MANNA (staff and volunteers) are terrific – a pleasure to work with. MANNA’s mission continues to grow and flourish, and so does the importance of its volunteers.
– MANNA volunteer

“MANNA is one of my absolute favorite places to volunteer. Everyone at MANNA has a passion about helping others in a very direct and goal-oriented way.”
– MANNA volunteer

Volunteer Sponsor 2016

Thank you to our friends at West Laurel Hill for once again sponsoring our efforts to celebrate and honor our volunteers throughout the year! Not only do they partner with us for #Run4UrLife in October, they are our year-long Volunteer Appreciation Sponsor which includes our National Volunteer Appreciation Week events and our annual Volunteer Appreciation Party in fall. We are extremely grateful for their dedication to MANNA and their ongoing commitment to our volunteers!

Celebrating National Heart Month

Posted on February 1, 2016October 10, 2018 by Alissa Vandenbark

At MANNA, we are dedicated to improving health and this month we are using our platform to promote heart health. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. More than 67 million Americans have high blood pressure. Individuals with high blood pressure are 4 times more likely to die from a stroke and 3 times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to those with normal blood pressure. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend reducing sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day. This recommended reduction in sodium intake will help improve the population’s blood pressure and heart health.

Tips to Help Prevent & Lower High Blood Pressure:

Aim to eat no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day
Reducing daily intake to 1,500 mg is desirable, because it can lower blood pressure even further
Reducing sodium intake by 1,000 mg per day can benefit blood pressure

So what does 2,300 mg of sodium look like? About 1 teaspoon. 1 teaspoon of salt = 2,300 mg of Sodium, which does not look like a lot, but it is more than enough sodium than our bodies need in one day.

Most of the sodium in our diet comes from pre-packaged and processed foods. So, when food shopping and trying to be heart hearty, look for these sodium related terms on food packages to better help understand how much products contain.

Sodium/Salt Free – Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving
Very Low Sodium – 35 milligrams or less per serving
Low Sodium – 140 milligrams or less per serving
Reduced/Less Sodium – ~25% less sodium per serving than the usual
Light in Sodium – Reduced by at least 50% per serving

Nutrition food labels also contain a measurement called a Percent Daily Value (%DV). Use the %DV on the food labels to compare products. The %DV tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet. For instance, 5% DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is LOW. 20% DV (480 mg) or more of sodium per serving is HIGH.

Tips to Shake the Salt Habit:

Don’t use salt during cooking
Learn to use spices and herbs to enhance the natural flavor of food
Don’t salt food before you taste it; enjoy the natural taste of food
Take the salt shaker off the table
Choose lower-sodium foods or low-sodium versions of your favorites

Overall, it is best to choose foods with Less Sodium and prepare foods with little or no salt. Lower salt intake means lower blood pressure, and lower blood pressure means a healthy heart!

Source – American Heart Association www.heart.org

World AIDS Day 2015 at MANNA

Posted on December 3, 2015October 10, 2018 by Alissa Vandenbark

World AIDS Day is held on the 1st of December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988. Whether we are raising awareness or serving clients, MANNA is committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Make a donation today in honor of World AIDS Day.

M.A.C Cosmetics employees commemorated ‪#‎WorldAIDSDay‬ by volunteering for a week in our kitchen. This is their 7th annual Global Volunteer Initiative. Thank you M.A.C AIDS Fund and M.A.C Cosmetics for supporting MANNA and individuals living with HIV/AIDS.‪ We are very grateful for your support. Learn more about their efforts here.

National Diabetes Month

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

During November, we hope to raise awareness about diabetes among Americans. The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) has chosen the theme of “Eat Well, America!” Both MANNA and The ADA aim to spread awareness about how easy and delicious it can be to prepare healthy meals. More than 30 million adults and children are impacted by diabetes in the United States and nearly 86 million children and adults are either pre-diabetic or at risk for prediabetes. Did you know that diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure and blindness among middle aged adults? Diabetes is a serious disease and it has been estimated to have cost America $245 billion dollars in healthcare costs.

At MANNA, we are committed to improving the lives of our clients living with diabetes and encouraging prevention. Proper nutrition plays a vital role in managing the disease but also in preventing it. We will be sharing helpful information and tips about the disease all month via MANNA’s social media channels using the hashtag #‎ADM. You can join the conversation by sharing or retweeting the posts all month. To further commemorate this month of awareness, we encourage those impacted by the disease to come in for a nutrition counseling session. Our Nutrition Department of Registered Dietitians can help you to prevent or properly manage diabetes. To set up an appointment, please call 215-496-2662 x 5. Together, we can make a stand against diabetes!

Source: www.diabetes.org

It’s back… Are you ready to #Run4UrLife?

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

Ready, set, BOO! It’s time to #Run4UrLife on Thursday, October 29th. Team up with the MANNAmals, Unite Fitness, West Laurel Hill, and more for the the spookiest 3k run of the year. All proceeds from the run benefit MANNA clients who are battling life-threatening illness. Are you brave enough? We thought so. Check out our website and Facebook page for details and haunting highlights from last year’s run. And if you ran last year, we’re back with double the scares to keep you on your toes!

READY TO FACE YOUR FEARS? SIGN UP NOW!

Ghouls. Ghosts. Goblins. Who knows what terrors may lurk throughout the gorgeous (oh, and haunted) West Laurel Hill Cemetery? As you may have noticed, this isn’t your ordinary fun run. For the scary-low registration price of $30, #Run4UrLife is your chance to celebrate the Halloween season in a truly unique way while supporting a great cause. There’s really nothing quite like it.

October is Farm to School Month

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

October is reserved to raise awareness about the National Farm to School network! Farm to School programs enrich the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and preschools. The initiative began in 2010 to encourage nutrition and healthier habits amongst children. These programs can be found in all 50 states purchasing and distributing local foods, educating students with activities and workshops and creating school gardens. Children are able to learn about agriculture and gain exposure to nutritious fruits and vegetables that were once inaccessible. The economy and environment are also benefitting from the programs! By buying local foods, the community is putting money back into it’s own economy. The community’s carbon footprint is reduced because less groceries are purchased from large food organizations.

Farm to School allows for communities to work together to help not only their health, but their economy, environment and education. Their website has a number of different online resources and a blog featuring interesting stories. At MANNA, we advocate for proper nutrition because we believe that Food is Medicine. Many of our clients are impacted by a lack of access to healthy foods in addition to needing proper nutrition to fight their diseases, so we are happy to support an initiative that helps with both issues. Learn about the initiatives happening in the Philadelphia area here.

Honoring Steve Korman at the 25th Celebration

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

Steve became involved with MANNA more than 15 years ago after recovering from a painful virus of the mouth. The pain made it impossible to eat or drink and Steve lost weight quickly. His agony and frustration mounted as no one could diagnose his problem or provide a solution, even after multiple medical appointments. Then a dentist and friend of the family heard about Steve’s symptoms. He immediately knew exactly what was wrong and prescribed a medication that quickly healed Steve, allowing him to return to a healthy weight.

When Steve tells this story, he says he bargained with God during that painful week, vowing to do more good if he got better. Steve lived up to that bargain and showed up here at MANNA the very next week with a generous contribution. MANNA focused solely on helping people with HIV/AIDS back then, and Steve knew that people dying from AIDS had many complications, including difficulty eating. Now, 15 years later, Steve and his family are an integral part of MANNA: we are the Steven Korman Nutrition Center and Steve is the Chair of our Advisory Board.

Steve is the Founder of Korman Communities, Inc. He has spent the past 50 years in the real estate industry specializing in revolutionizing the multi-family sector. Steve is also a Partner of The Korman Co. of Trevose, PA, one of the largest owners and managers of residential, commercial, and industrial real estate in The Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Steve has been responsible for all aspects of the multi-family portfolio over this time, developing and marketing the KormanSuites brand name throughout the region.

Mr. Korman is active in charitable and community affairs, having served on the Board of Trustees of Drexel University, the Bannett Transplant Institute, and the Multi-family Housing Council. He was president of The Technion Institute and was Co-Chairman of the American Poetry Review. Mr. Korman was Chairman of the Duke University Library Advisory Board for 8 years and Chairman of PhilaPride. Mr Korman has been Chairman of the Advisory Board of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Temple University for the past 12 years. Mr. Korman has been Chairman of the Advisory Board for MANNA for the past 10 years and was past vice President of the Board for JYC. Mr. Korman is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Pennsylvania and New York.

MANNA would not be the organization we are today without Steve and his generosity. He is truly passionate about our work and enthusiastically gives his time, expertise, and funds to ensure that more and more sick people have access to food as medicine! We are proud to celebrate and honor Steve Korman throughout MANNA’s 25th Anniversary Celebration.

CLIENT HIGHLIGHT: TONY

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

In 25 years, MANNA has provided nourishment to nearly 15,000 different clients all with unique stories and at all different walks of life. Illness does not discriminate against age, race or gender. The meal program and nutrition counsel ensure better healthcare outcomes to those we serve. From exclusively serving the HIV/AIDS population to expanding in 2007 and reaching clients with 60+ different illnesses, we have made a real impact in the Greater Philadelphia area. Telling our client’s stories is one of the highlights of celebrating 25 years.

Meet Tony, a current MANNA client, loving husband, father of four and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Tony has renal disease and MANNA intervened at a time when he was most vulnerable. Before starting dialysis treatments, Tony was experiencing kidney complications that caused fluid retention and limited mobility due to swelling. MANNA’s services in conjunction with dialysis treatment allowed Tony to live better and get back to the activities he enjoys. Tony explains that he would not have been prepared for dialysis without the power of proper nutrition. He shares that the program, “prepared me for battle.” He thanks MANNA’s Registered Dieticians for educating him on how to properly nourish himself and adhere to his strict diet restrictions. Managing his disease has become easier and so has enjoying life again.

Here’s to 25 years of nourishing MANNA clients like Tony!

blog Collage

Join MANNA on October 9th as Beautiful Blooms transforms Ranstead Street and our neighbor, the 23rd Street Armory, for an incredible night of celebration honoring our past 25 years and sharing our exciting future. Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton will help MANNA honor Steven Korman, Founder of Korman Communities, for his tireless efforts and deep commitment to MANNA’s mission. ChefAID alums Chef Robert Bennett, Chef Eric Gantz, Chef Jose Garces, Chef Michael Schulson, and other famed Philadelphia chefs will dazzle you with culinary treats. Entertainment includes a special one-night-only aerial performance by Brian Sanders JUNK and a not-to-be-missed piece by Dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet in honor of 23 years of Shut Up & Dance. And with the Eddie Bruce Orchestra playing, we will dance the night away!

To purchase tickets, please click here.

September is Whole Grains Month

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Alissa Vandenbark

Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet because they provide key vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that processed and refined grains do not! Whole grains such as wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, and rye are nutrient-rich because the entire grain is consumed, including the germ, endosperm, and bran. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that everyone make half of the grains they are eating whole grains. This means that everyone ages 9 and up should be eating 3 to 5 servings or more of whole grains each day.

The Whole Grains Council has compiled the results of various medical studies, which have shown that consuming whole grains regularly can have protective effects against many chronic diseases, like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. While no one food can guarantee good health, every whole grain in place of a refined grain can help!

Enjoy whole grains easy with this quinoa salad recipe for dinner (serves 4):

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked quinoa, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh or dry basil, 1 can (15oz) of garbanzo beans, 1 can (7.25oz) whole kernel corn, 1 tomato, diced, 1 bell pepper, chopped, ½ cup feta-cheese.

Directions: Cook quinoa as directed on package. While quinoa is cooking, chop and mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mix quinoa in with vegetables once done cooking. Sprinkle feta-cheese, serve, and enjoy.

Other Examples of One Serving of Whole Grains

1/2 cup cooked rice, bulgur, pasta, or cooked cereal
1 ounce dry pasta, rice or other dry grain
1 slice bread
1 small muffin (weighing one ounce)
1 cup ready-to-eat cereal flakes