MANNA FOOD BANK INC
627 SWANNANOA RIVER ROAD, ASHEVILLE, NC 288052445 www.mannafoodbank.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: INVOLVING, EDUCATING, AND UNITING PEOPLE IN THE WORK OF ENDING HUNGER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

MANNA FOODBANK SERVES AS THE CENTRAL FOOD SOURCING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR MORE THAN 200 NONPROFIT PARTNER AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT MANNA'S 16-COUNTY WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SERVICE AREA. OUR SERVICE AREA ENCOMPASSES 6,434 MILES WITH MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN RURAL AND UNDER-SERVED LOCATIONS WITH HIGH FOOD INSECURITY RATES. THEREFORE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE FOOD, WE DELIVER TO EVEN THE MOST REMOTE LOCATIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE COUNTIES MANNA SERVES ARE: AVERY, BUNCOMBE, CHEROKEE, CLAY, GRAHAM, HAYWOOD, HENDERSON, JACKSON, MACON, MADISON, MCDOWELL, MITCHELL, POLK, SWAIN, TRANSYLVANIA, AND YANCEY COUNTY. THESE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ALSO HAVE DIVERSE NEEDS AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES, BUT THE COMMON ISSUES OF HIGH HOUSING COSTS, LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND STAGNANT WAGE GROWTH ARE PERVASIVE, RESULTING IN A GROWING NEED FOR FOOD FOR OVER 100,000 PEOPLE LIVING THROUGHOUT THE REGION. IN WNC, 1 IN 6 PEOPLE, AND 1 IN 4 CHILDREN, ARE FOOD INSECURE. FOOD DISTRIBUTION: IN RESPONSE TO A STAGGERING INCREASE IN THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, IN FY 19/20, MANNA FOODBANK HAD ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING YEAR, DISTRIBUTING 21.5 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, ENOUGH TO PROVIDE 18 MILLION MEALS. MANNA AND THE PARTNER AGENCY NETWORK DISTRIBUTED THE EQUIVALENT OF 45,000 MEALS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. THIS UNPRECEDENTED YEAR IN MANNA'S HISTORY MARKED ALL-TIME HIGHS IN FOOD DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS. WITH GROWING NUMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS TURNING TO MANNA'S PARTNER NETWORK, MANNA HAS WORKED TO STRETCH EVERY AVAILABLE RESOURCE TO SOURCE MORE FOOD, AND TO EXPAND ACCESS FOR THE MANY FAMILIES LIVING IN ISOLATED RURAL AREAS WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPORT. THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, MANNA DISTRIBUTED AN AVERAGE OF 53,858 LBS. OF FOOD EVERY DAY, LAUNCHED THE MANNA COMMUNITY MARKET TO PROVIDE MOBILE PANTRY OPTIONS IN REMOTE RURAL AREAS OF HIGH NEED, CONTINUED TO GROW FRESH FOOD DISTRIBUTION THROUGH MANNA EXPRESS DELIVERIES, AND EXPANDED THE NETWORK OF NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS WORKING TO HOST COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. PANDEMIC: IN MARCH 2020, MANNA'S DAILY OPERATIONS WERE IMPACTED AT EVERY LEVEL DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. AN INITIAL AND SUDDEN IMPACT TO FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS DRAMATICALLY AFFECTED THE AMOUNT OF DONATED FOOD THE FOOD BANK NORMALLY RECEIVES (PRE-PANDEMIC APPROXIMATELY 85% OF MANNA'S TOTAL INVENTORY WAS DONATED). AT THE SAME TIME, MANNA AND OUR PARTNER AGENCIES SAW AN IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE NEEDING FOOD SUPPORT. THE PANDEMIC ALSO NECESSITATED AN IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE SHIFT IN ALL FOOD BANK OPERATIONS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, CLIENTS SEEKING FOOD, PARTNERS, STAFF, AND THE WELLBEING OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. EVEN WITH THESE CHALLENGES, MANNA'S FOOD DISTRIBUTION INCREASED TO OVER 69,000 LBS. DAILY IN RESPONSE TO A TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE NEED FOR FOOD: BY THE END OF JUNE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TURNING TO MANNA AND THE PARTNER NETWORK HAD INCREASED BY 63%. MANNA RECOGNIZES THAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, AND HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO SOURCE NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOOD THAT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTNER AGENCIES. IN FY 19/20, 65% OF THE FOOD THAT MANNA DISTRIBUTED WAS CLASSIFIED AS FOODS TO ENCOURAGE WHICH CONSIST OF HEALTHY STAPLES LIKE WHOLE GRAINS, PROTEINS, DAIRY, FRESH/FROZEN VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. OVER 28% OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED WAS FRESH PRODUCE. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND HEALTH RISKS, MANNA HAS BUILT ON THE SUCCESS OF NUTRITION-FOCUSED PROGRAMS TARGETING INCREASED ACCESS TO FRESH AND HEALTHY FOODS ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA. OUR THREE-PRONG APPROACH TO OUR HEALTH INITIATIVES INCLUDES: 1.INCREASING THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF THE FOOD MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR CLIENTS 2. EMPOWERING CLIENTS TO ACCESS AND CONSUME MORE NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOOD, AND 3. BUILDING IMPACTFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE HEALTH SYSTEM, INCLUDING CLINICS AND OTHER HEALTH-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS WHO INTERFACE WITH OUR CLIENTS. MANNA FOODBANK PARTNERS WITH OVER 200 AGENCIES TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD, INCLUDING FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS, COMMUNITY KITCHENS, CHURCH MINISTRIES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR WNC RESIDENTS STRUGGLING WITH HUNGER - ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, FAMILIES, SENIORS, VETERANS, DISABLED PERSONS, AND GROWING NUMBERS OF THE WORKING POOR. IN FY 19/20, MANNA EXPANDED OUR EFFORTS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE MANNA COMMUNITY MARKET, A MOBILE PANTRY AVAILABLE TO DEPLOY ACROSS THE RURAL REGION. AT THE END OF THE FY, MANNA HAD DISTRIBUTED OVER 842,000 POUNDS OF GROCERIES TO COMMUNITIES IN UNDERSERVED AREAS WITH A HIGH NEED FOR FOOD. MANNA AGENCY MANAGERS PROVIDE RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE TO ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES ENSURING THAT THEY ADHERE TO NATIONAL SAFE SERV STANDARDS AS WELL AS FEEDING AMERICA'S SPECIFIC FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS FOR FOOD BANKS. MANNA FOODBANK BOASTS A 4-STAR RATING FROM CHARITY NAVIGATOR FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS - THE HIGHEST RATING POSSIBLE FROM THE INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT RATING ORGANIZATION. NATIONALLY, MANNA FOODBANK RANKS IN THE TOP 2% OF NONPROFITS FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS. THIS TOP RATING IS A RESULT OF AN UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO STEWARDSHIP, AND TO A ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. IN FY 19/20, 4,379 VOLUNTEERS SERVED 57,000+ HOURS IN A VARIETY OF VOLUNTEER ROLES. THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 29 FULL- TIME STAFF MEMBERS AND HELPS MANNA CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TOWARD PROVIDING FOOD. THE VARIETY OF VOLUNTEER ROLES ALSO INCREASED: MANNA NOW UTILIZES VOLUNTEERS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. THE VOLUNTEER ROLES RANGE FROM SORTING PRODUCE AND PACKING BULK FOODS, PACKING AND DELIVERING MANNA PACKS FOR KIDS, DRIVING MANNA EXPRESS AND POP-UP MARKET DELIVERIES, PICKING ORDERS IN THE WAREHOUSE FOR PARTNER AGENCIES, SORTING LARGE DONATIONS FROM FOOD INDUSTRY DONORS, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON MANNA'S WORK VIA AMBASSADORS, TAKING CALLS THROUGH THE FOOD HELPLINE, PARTNER AGENCY OUTREACH AND MONITORING, AND A VARIETY OF ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. VOLUNTEERS HELP MANNA KEEP OVERHEAD COSTS LOW AND ENSURE THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR DONATED, MANNA CAN HELP PROVIDE THE FOOD FOR 4 MEALS.

MANNA PACKS FOR KIDS IS A DIRECT-FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTNERING WITH 165 SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR 16 COUNTY SERVICE AREA. EACH WEEK, VOLUNTEERS PACK AND DISTRIBUTE AN AVERAGE OF 5,000 BAGS OF FOOD TO SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE AND RELY ON FREE MEAL PLANS TO HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. EACH BAG CONTAINS SNACKS AND MEALS TO LAST OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN THESE FOOD-INSECURE CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. IN FY 19/20, A TOTAL OF 116,555 MANNA PACKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN ON THE FREE SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM, AS WELL AS PROVIDING FOOD FOR 22 STUDENT PANTRIES LOCATED ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES. HOWEVER, IN MARCH, SCHOOLS CLOSED AND MANNA STAFF WORKED WITH WNC SCHOOLS SCRAMBLING TO PROVIDE DAILY MEALS FOR THE MANY CHILDREN RELYING ON FREE SCHOOL MEALS. THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NUTRITION DIRECTORS, TEACHERS, GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, AND SCHOOL NUTRITION STAFF, MANNA WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FOOD RESOURCES TO CHILDREN EVEN DURING SCHOOL CLOSINGS. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS OF 2019, MANNA DISTRIBUTED BAGS OF FOOD WITH A WEEK'S WORTH OF NOURISHMENT TO AN AVERAGE OF 1,205 CHILDREN THROUGH THE SUMMER PACK PROGRAM IN 11 COUNTIES, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED FOOD ASSISTANCE WHILE CHILDREN ARE OUT OF SCHOOL AND AWAY FROM THE VITAL SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM.

FNS OUTREACH IS A DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLING TO AFFORD GROCERIES WITH ACCESS TO FOOD RESOURCES. THE FNS OUTREACH PROGRAM CONNECTS HOUSEHOLDS TO A MANNA PARTNER AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE FOOD SUPPORT, AS WELL AS ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNING UP FOR SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM), THE COUNTRY'S MOST EFFECTIVE ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAM (FORMERLY CALLED FOOD STAMPS). SNAP SUPPORT CAN HELP A FAMILY SURVIVE A CRISIS OF UNEMPLOYMENT, POOR HEALTH, OR OTHER HARDSHIPS THAT CAN TRIGGER A DOWNWARD SPIRAL INTO POVERTY. IN FY 19/20 MANNA'S FNS OUTREACH TEAM OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FIELDED 8,566 CONTACTS WITH HOUSEHOLDS NEEDING ACCESS TO FOOD, REFERRED 7,221 HOUSEHOLDS TO AVAILABLE FOOD SERVICES, AND PROVIDED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO 2,241 HOUSEHOLDS WITH HELP APPLYING FOR OR RECERTIFYING FOR SNAP. THIS INCLUDES ASSISTING PEOPLE AT PARTNER AGENCIES, AND THROUGH MANNA'S FNS HELPLINE, WHICH IS RUN BY MANNA STAFF AND HIGHLY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE OVER-THE-PHONE ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE IN NEED ACROSS THE REGION. THE PRIVACY AND CONVENIENCE OF THE HELPLINE SERVICE OVERCOMES NUMEROUS BARRIERS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, WORK SCHEDULE CONSTRAINTS, PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, ETC. THAT MAY PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED IN PERSON. MANNA PARTNERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE IN EVERY COUNTY OF THE SERVICE REGION TO PROVIDE THIS STREAMLINED SUPPORT. IN MARCH, THE HELPLINE TEAM WAS INUNDATED WITH DESPERATE CALLS AND EMAILS SEEKING EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPORT, AND THIS ELEVATED PACE CONTINUED THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

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