On June 10, 2026, MANNA celebrated the delivery of its 25 millionth medically tailored meal, marking a major milestone in more than 36 years of providing life-sustaining nutrition to individuals living with serious illnesses across Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. MANNA CEO Sue Daugherty was joined by Philadelphia Department of Public Health Commissioner Palak Raval-Nelson, Ph.D., M.P.H., to commemorate the achievement and highlight the critical role medically tailored meals play in improving health outcomes, supporting treatment adherence, and strengthening communities.

Since its founding, MANNA has served more than 54,000 individuals and families through its comprehensive nutrition care program, delivering healthy, medically tailored meals designed by registered dietitians to support complex medical conditions including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, and more.

“Reaching 25 million meals is an extraordinary milestone, but what matters most is what those meals represent: improved health, dignity, stability, and care for our neighbors facing serious illness,” said Sue Daugherty. “Medically tailored meals are not simply food delivery. They are a critical healthcare intervention backed by growing evidence that proper nutrition can reduce healthcare costs, improve outcomes, and help people live healthier lives. We are proud to support not only our clients, but also the loved ones who walk beside them.”

Unlike traditional meal programs, medically tailored meals are specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs of people managing illness, helping improve health outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and support individuals as they heal and maintain independence at home.

MANNA’s model also recognizes that illness impacts entire households. In addition to serving clients, MANNA provides meals for household members and caregivers, helping ensure families have access to nutritious food during times of medical crisis.
Each week, MANNA prepares and delivers thousands of meals tailored to individual medical and dietary needs, while also providing nutrition counseling and education from registered dietitians. The organization’s work has become increasingly recognized as healthcare systems, insurers, and policymakers nationwide continue to embrace Food is Medicine initiatives as an essential component of care.

“The mission of the Health Department is to protect and promote the health of all Philadelphians. If there is a program that better demonstrates working towards that goal than MANNA, I’m not sure I know about it,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson. “To serve someone a meal is to show them love. To serve 25 million meals, meals that take into account the specific needs of each person managing an illness and their caregivers, shows true devotion. We often say that food can be medicine, and that’s not just because these meals are medically tailored; food can be medicine because it reinforces our connection to our community, to loved ones, it demonstrates love and caring, and can nourish our soul. Twenty-five million meals is impressive, but 25 million acts of love and caring saves lives, and that’s what MANNA does.”

The 25 millionth meal milestone also reflects the dedication of MANNA’s volunteers, healthcare partners, donors, and staff who have helped sustain the organization’s mission for more than three decades.

“As the demand for medically tailored meals continues to grow, this moment is both a celebration and a call to action,” Daugherty added. “Far too many individuals still lack access to the nutrition support they need while managing illness. MANNA remains committed to expanding access to medically tailored nutrition care so more families can experience the healing power of healthy food.”