It was a celebration 35 years in the making! On Thursday, Jan. 23, MANNA marked 35 years of nourishing the Philadelphia region and a new, milestone accomplishment of becoming the first organization in Pennsylvania to earn an accreditation from the Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC). This national accreditation signifies that MANNA meets the standards set by FIMC for delivering medically tailored meals (MTMs), reinforcing our leadership in nutrition-based healthcare and our role as a trusted provider of nutrition-based care for thousands of patients managing complex, critical illnesses.

In Philadelphia fashion, Mummers string band, Hegeman String Band, welcomed guests to the event. CEO Sue Daugherty and co-founder Dr. Kenwyn Smith described the arc of MANNA’s 35 years and the mission of supporting people in the “fight for their lives.”

Jay Lassiter, a former MANNA client and current volunteer reflected on the organization’s impact. He spoke about the tile wall in MANNA’s kitchen that honors some former clients who have passed away. “I have been HIV positive for over 30 years. If not from the disease, I should have died from the meds they gave me for the disease, which actually made me really, really sick. It was during that time that MANNA actually nourished me during my darkest and sickest and loneliest hours,” he said.

As part of the ceremony, Steve Korman, co-chair of MANNA’s Advisory Board and longtime MANNA supporter, and his son, Brad Korman, presented a $100,000 donation to further MANNA’s impact. Thank you, Korman family!

A sparkling cider toast, celebratory cake cutting, and more of the Mummers closed out the festivities.

We want to thank all of our volunteers, partners, board and staff members who celebrated with us and continue to make our work nourishing the community possible.

Check out the news coverage of the day here.