Category: Events

get ready to run4urlife

Posted on by Alissa Vandenbark

Have you heard all of the #Run4UrLife craze? If not, allow us to tell you all about the first ever spooky fun run 3k through West Hill Laurel Cemetery on October 30th! We are beyond excited to launch this unique event that encourages fitness and benefits MANNA.

The idea for Run4UrLife came about at an Independence Business Alliance meeting hosted by Comcast when our very own Rob Saxon got to talking with Matthew Ray of Chatterblast, Deb Cassidy of West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Klay Fennel of Comcast, and Gavin McKay of Unite Fitness. What started as a cool idea quickly become a very real and very happening event thanks to some amazing professionals in this city coming together.

Tag Strategies generated a logo, poster, and t-shirt design and Sage Communications provided their public relations expertise to get us some media coverage. Christopher Gabello and Gabello Studios shot and directed an amazing PSA for Run4UrLife and we thank Comcast for getting it out there for all to see!

The OFFICIAL Run4UrLife video:

We are so grateful to have such wonderful partners working with us. The funds raised from Run4UrLife are going to help MANNA continue to nourish critically ill neighbors in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Don’t miss out on all of the fun! Get your costume ready, lace up your sneakers and get ready to #Run4UrLife. After you outrun the ghosts and ghouls of the cemetery there will be drinks, snacks and fun at a 2-hour after party in the West Laurel Hill Cemetery Conservatory. Prizes will be awarded to the best costumes of the night. We look forward to seeing everyone on Mischief Night for some bone-chilling fun!

 

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You can register for this frightfully fun Halloween event HERE.

MANNA takes on D.C. at ACBP ’14

Posted on by Alissa Vandenbark

MANNA’s advocacy team – Executive Director, Sue Daugherty, Director of Policy and Institutional Affairs, Ann Hoskins-Brown, and Community Outreach & Advocacy Specialist, Katelyn Baron – attended the 2014 Advocacy Capacity Building Project (ACBP) Symposium September 29-October 1, at NASTAD in Washington D.C. The annual symposium encourages collaboration between “sister” organizations from all over the country, with over 50 attendees from 20 diverse food and nutrition services agencies this year. Each participant had the opportunity to share their best practices and recent advocacy activities; MANNA presented updates on how we are working to leverage our groundbreaking research with targeted advocacy work. Together, we brainstormed and discussed topics including the power of evidence and developing and delivering an impactful message.

The symposium offered several opportunities to participate in advocacy trainings to learn the tools of the trade, helping to facilitate successful interactions with elected officials and academic institutions. This training was crucial for our visits with staff from the offices of Congressman Chaka Fattah, Congressman Bob Brady, Senator Bob Casey and Senator Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania, along with several New Jersey legislators. Our Hill meetings, scheduled for our final day in D.C., provided the opportunity to share our “food is medicine” model and research with policymakers to demonstrate its potential to change healthcare. MANNA’s services save Pennsylvania valuable healthcare dollars and our clients experience improved health outcomes. We believe our meal program should be a reimbursable standard of care and a right to everyone facing a life-threatening illness.

Overall, our time in DC opened our eyes to many new possibilities. There is still much to learn and we are excited to redefine our goals and continue to move forward with our mission. ACBP has empowered us to take on new advocacy goals focused at the state level. It was motivating and refreshing to share and hear new ideas about our unique services. MANNA has many challenges ahead, but we will continue to advocate for the incorporation of nutrition into healthcare.

We want to thank The M•A•C AIDS Fund, The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School, AIDS United, the National AIDS Housing Coalition, Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) for all of their support. To all of our sister organizations, we thank you for collaborating and learning with us. These organizations include: God’s Love We Deliver, Project Angel Food, Open Hand Atlanta, Project Angel Heart, AIDS Project New Haven, AIDS Services Foundation Orange County, Moveable Feast, Community Servings, Project Open Hand, Bill’s Kitchen, Inc., Heartland Health Outreach, Mama’s Kitchen, Long Island Association for AIDS Care, Food & Friends, The Poverello Center, Lifelong AIDS Alliance and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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To see more pictures from our DC visit, see our Facebook album.

 

 

Shut Up & Dance – Interview with Ian Hussey, Producing Director

Posted on by Alissa Vandenbark
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MANNA: Why Victoriana as a theme?

Ian: Coming up with a theme for the poster if one of my FAVORITE parts of the process. The process starts with a few brainstorming sessions with photographer Brett Thomas, designer Matt Bouloutain of Modern Good, MANNA’s event manager and myself. Brett and Matt are incredibly talented artists and we are so luck to have them. This year’s theme of a singular female in a Victorian style dress came from me but wasn’t even an idea that I had thought of before the meeting. I threw the idea out there and everyone loved it. I could not be more excited about the image we finished with. Kelsey looks so beautiful…an incredible shot by Brett and with Matt’s magic – we created a unique eye catching design.

MANNA: What other elements (themes) will  be presented during the show?

Ian: I can’t really speak on the pieces yet since they are not complete. That is the exciting thing about Shut Up & Dance – there is always a certain amount of the unknown going into the show. As the director, I do not censor any artist or tell someone they have to choreograph a certain kind of piece. I let the dancers express themselves any way they feel and because of that, I often don’t know what the show is really going to look like as a whole until the week of the show.

MANNA: When people leave the show on March 22, what feeling do you want them to take away with them?

Ian: I want the audience to have fun more than anything. There are many emotions in watching Shut Up & Dance every year because of the time we take to reflect on the serious nature of MANNA’s mission. Shut Up & Dance is aimed to uplift and garner hope for a greater future for MANNA and their clients. We aim to inspire continuous support for MANNA and hopefully to return next year with more friends and family spreading the love of this one of a kind show.

MANNA: How many years have  you been involved with Shut Up & Dance?

Ian: This is my 10th Shut Up & Dance that I have  been a part of and my 3rd year as the Producing Director.

MANNA: With every year that passes, what keeps you coming back for more?

Ian: I keep returning to Shut Up & Dance for many reasons but mainly for the impact it has on MANNA. The service that MANNA provides for the community is so incredibly important and it is an honor for the dancers and myself to put this show on every year to help MANNA accomplish their mission.

MANNA: For those who never been to Shut Up & Dance before but have been to a ballet production — how is Shut Up & Dance different?

Ian: Shut Up & Dance is such an unique experience. Many of our shows with Pennsylvania Ballet are either a full length story ballet or consists of 3 pieces in a night. With Shut Up & Dance, you will see upwards of 12 different pieces of shorter length but brought to you by the enthusiastic minds of the dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet. You will see serious ambitious pieces mixed with more light hearted comedic fare. The energy of this night every year…is infectious!

MANNA: Last year, you did not dance in the performance…can we look forward to you dancing this year?

Ian: Yes, you can look forward to me returning to the stage dancing…

Check out Ian, the Dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet and the magic on March 22nd  at the Forrest Theatre – get  your tickets at www.mannapa.org/dance

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on by Alissa Vandenbark
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When Valarie Maddox was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, her two young daughters needed MANNA’s support as well.  Valarie avowed, “The meals are great because I am a single mother and I live with my two daughters.  To see the strain on my daughters and their worry because I was always the cook in my house, the MANNA meals helped to take the pressure off of them knowing I was taken care of.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and the incidence continues to rise steadily with over 1 million new cases and almost half a million deaths annually.  Currently the direct cause of breast cancer is not known; education, awareness and early detection remain as the key components to combating this disease.  October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when people across the world increase awareness of the disease and fundraise to support research in search of a cure.

In 2007 MANNA partnered with the Susan G. Komen Philadelphia organization to provide medically-appropriate meals to hundreds of women and families battling breast cancer.  This partnership ensured access to nutritious meals early in their treatment, increasing their chances of survival.  Since 2007, MANNA has nourished back to health over 500 individuals diagnosed with breast cancer.

“MANNA has helped me so much with their meal program.  When I was too tired to cook I was able to heat up a meal which helped me a lot.  I felt like if I didn’t have MANNA, my nutrition would not have been as good,” MANNA client Chanel Royster noted.

Charlene Callicut, a current MANNA client agreed, “MANNA has provided me a lot of support since day one.  It really helped me with my eating and providing me with nutritious food.  The type of food that they are sending me is good food, and it tastes good too.”

For more information on ways that you can become involved with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, go to  www.komenphiladelphia.org.

First Annual #MANNAGuac-off

Posted on by Alissa Vandenbark
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On Sunday, June 23, 2013 – we held our very first Guac-off at Fleisher Art Memorial! What started out as an idea from the MANNA Young Friends Committee, turned into a full out event with 12 competitors including Mission Grill, Jose Pistola’s, Philly food truck Guerrilla Ultima and 8 year old superstar Alison Flam. All 12 competitors were tasked with the duty of preparing their signature guacamole recipe and to provide enough samples to feed 130 attendees.

When 6’2 host, Brittany Lynn – don/mother of the Drag Mafia walked into the venue, participants knew they were not only in for some good guacamole tasting but in for some entertainment as well! Outside of Brittany’s witty humor, attendees enjoyed chips, salsa, beverages, music and of course…guacamole!

MANNA’s Executive Chef, Keith Lucas and freelance writer and food enthusiastic, Drew Lazor had the tough job of judging all of the guacamole recipes (rough…right?) through a blind tasting and crowning the grand prize winner.

In the end, Guerrilla Ultima took home first place as Grand Prize winner and walked away with the Guac-off trophy as well as staycation package for 2 night stay at Embassy Suites Philadelphia including  breakfast and cocktail receptions and 2 passes to the Academy of Natural Science . The People’s Choice Award went to Adan Trinidad from Jose Pistola’s who gave his prize ($250 US Airways gift card) to 8 year old competitor Alison Flam- what a gentlemen!

MANNA raised over $3,500 enabling MANNA to provide 972 nourishing meals. To see photos from the event, check out our Facebook album.