Dear Manna,

Summer has arrived, with more consistent sun shining, and abundant fresh produce showing up at farmers markets. As local farmers harvest their bountiful crops that we are so glad to share with our neighbors, Manna Food Center is reminded of the generosity and community spirit that define this season of plenty. 

June represents many things to our community in Montgomery County. From the childhood freedom of last days of school and graduations, to the celebrations of Pride month, to the historic Juneteenth commerations, it is a month filled with remembrance and joy. These serve as reminders of the importance of human dignity, respect, and addressing the root causes of systemic injustices. Manna remains steadfast in our dedication to amplifying the voices of those we serve and guaranteeing equitable access to nutritious, culturally relevant food for all. 

Helping us with that mission is our fantastic Manna board. This spring we said goodbye to Jorge Espinosa and thanked him for his years of service. This month we are pleased to welcome Chris Andracsek, CPA at Dembo Jones, PC, and Maryline Sabina, M.S., the U.S. Associate Medical Director, Medical Affairs Oncology at AstraZeneca. Both have demonstrated their enthusiasm for food security and community health personally and professionally. Please read more about them below. 

Summer also brings the start of food drive season and thank you to all who participated in the recent Ride On Food Drive! Your generosity supports our ability to meet the need for food assistance in our community, especially as kids on summer vacation no longer have access to the sometimes-vital school meals. If you missed the chance to contribute or wish to give again, we invite you to join our college baseball players of the Cal Ripken League as they collect food this Saturday, June 22nd from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Giant locations countywide. Your support ensures we can continue to stock our shelves this season. Find more information below. 

June has been a busy month already -- read below to learn more about staff participation in the FRAC Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and our advocacy on Capitol Hill. Finally, I am pleased to share the exciting news that fourteen non-profit food assistance organizations and farm partners received grants to build food system capacity and strengthen community resilience. Learn all about this below.  

I hope this summer brings good news to you as well. Enjoy vacations and travel as you can, and thanks for making Manna’s work possible year-round!

Jackie

CEO aka Chief Enthusiasm Officer

P.S. Our partner, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation just celebrated its 25th year anniversary! Check out their video on their mission, and see if you can spot a familiar face or two. 😉

Maryline Sabina

Chris Andracsek

Maryline brings a strong public health, strategic planning and operations background. Chris offers experience for our Finance Committee and earned expertise serving on the Board of Manna partner Bethesda Cares. We look forward to their contributions over the next few years. 

This Saturday, June 22, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, join players at various Giant locations as they collect food for their annual Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League Food Drive to help continue our mission to share food resources in Montgomery County. Visit one of the various Giant locations above and help the teams fight hunger in our community. 

Manna Staff at the FRAC Conference

Manna, in collaboration with Montgomery County’s Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR), and the Morningstar Foundation has awarded more than $350,000 in grant funding to fourteen nonprofit food assistance organizations and Montgomery County-based farms. Funds can be used to purchase and install cold storage infrastructure for these institutions and cut down on food waste. This will help increase our food systems and food security in the area, making sure less food is lost to food waste from inadequate storage options. “Expanding infrastructure for food storage and distribution is key to many priorities, including increasing nutrition security, reducing food waste, and supporting local food production and economic opportunity," said Heather Bruskin, OFSR director. 

For kids that rely on free or reduced-priced meals at school, summer can mean a lack of access to nutritious food. That’s why we’ve joined Albertsons Companies Foundation’s first-of-its-kind coalition of foodbanks, school districts, community organizations, and other partners across the country to help tackle hunger. Check if your household qualifies for $120 for groceries per eligible child through USDA’s new, permanent Summer EBT program at SummerEBT.org.