November is a time we are all reminded of how thankful we are. How lucky we are for the life that we have. How fortunate we are to have our family, a safe place to go home to at night, and food on the table. It is easy to take those things for granted.
Right here in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, there are many individuals and families who do not know where their next meal will come from. Many of these families are experiencing this fear after a catastrophic event: family illness, loss of a job, and especially pertinent this year: a pandemic or a hurricane. Most of these individuals have never faced this situation before and require short-term help to get them back on their feet. Fortunately, our community is filled with organizations to assist those in need of the most basic need: food.
One such organization is Manna. Manna’s mission is to offer emergency food assistance, service the food-related needs of vulnerable populations, and engage the entire community in the fight against hunger. Manna is not a food pantry that people come to once a week. Rather, it is a service for those facing hardship in their lives and who desperately need help.
“Hunger comes from all walks of life. Can you imagine what it must be like for a mom, dad, or grandparent to worry about how they will feed their children? It is not unusual for us to learn that mom only ate one meal so her child could have food to eat. Or to be in your 70s worried about skipping meals so you can buy your medication?”
–DeDe Flounlacker, Executive Director of Manna
Fortunately, thanks to DeDe and her dedicated staff and volunteers, Manna is here to help!
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors for Manna. Through this experience, I have been able to learn more about the inner workings of this truly amazing organization. Before joining the Board, I assumed people donated food, and then clients showed up and got a bag of random food that had been donated. That is not the case!
In reality, every can of food is meticulously inspected (at least three different times), sorted, and weighed. The food is then organized into bags based on the USDA standards to ensure healthy and well-balanced meals for every client. On top of that, each client is interviewed, and the staff and volunteers take extra steps to assist the clients in getting whatever additional resources they may need to get back on their feet (besides food).
This important work could not be done without the greater Pensacola community supporting Manna. Thanks to local corporations, churches, synagogues, community organizations, and individuals, Manna regularly receives food, time, and money donations.
Because of this generous support, Manna was able to help over 27,000 people and give out more than 560,000 pounds of food during the last fiscal year (this year’s numbers are even higher and growing!).
The holidays are a wonderful time to appreciate all that we have to be thankful for and also remember and assist those less fortunate. However, remember that unplanned emergencies happen all year round, and Manna is here 12 months a year to help those that are hungry.
As DeDe says, “We know that every day, someone needs MANNA. And EVERY DAY, MANNA NEEDS YOU.”
A donation of just $5 can help feed someone for one day! If you are interested in donating food, money, or your time, please visit mannahelps.org.
