Manna in May 2008 - Food Drive

MANNA IN MAY

“Manna in May” Food Drive to Benefit Manna Food Center

May 2008, Bethesda, Maryland: In response to the recent increase in food prices, homelessness is on the rise, and hunger is increasing, forcing many people in our own neighborhoods to turn to food banks for help. “Food drives are usually centered around holidays and special events, but the needs of our community are year round,” says Tim Lanigan, Director, Food Collection Programs, Manna Food Center.

A consortium of local business owners organized by Lisa Flaxman of musiKids have partnered with Manna Food Center in Rockville to help. The businesses, owned and run by local moms, are asking the public to help feed people by buying extra food when they grocery shop and donating it at convenient local drop spots. Donors can place the food in brightly colored purple “Manna in May” bins donated by musiKids.

The consortium’s goal is to collect a minimum of 10,000 pounds of food during the month of May.

Local businesses spearheading the food drive are:

· musiKids (Bethesda, Rockville)

· Be You Bi You Wellness Center (Bethesda)

· The Six O’Clock Scramble (Chevy Chase)

· Kensington Business Solutions (Kensington)

Some of the local businesses acting as drop spots include:

· musiKids Bethesda (4900 Auburn Ave., Bethesda)

· musiKids Rockville (1701 Rockville Pike, B-8, Rockville)

· Be You Bi You (5602 Shields Dr., Bethesda)

· Chevy Chase Super Market (8513 Connecticut Avenue)

· Kensington Safeway (10541 Connecticut Ave., Kensington)

· North Chevy Chase Elementary School (Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase)

· Rosemary Hills Primary School (Porter Road, Silver Spring)

· ArtWorks, Bethesda (7847 Old Georgetown Rd, # 1)

· Art Works, Gaithersburg, (416 Main St. Gaithersburg )

· Rock Creek Sports Club (8325 Grubb Rd., Silver Spring)

· Full of Beans (5502 Connecticut Ave, DC)

· Catch Can (5516 Connecticut Ave., DC)

· The Old Town Market (Wake & Kensington Pkwy, Kensington, MD)

Here are the startling statistics about the increasing need for local hunger relief:

• FY 2008 has seen an 8% increase in the client base
• There has been a 21% increase since 2004
• Manna provides about 78 pounds of food a month to approximately 2100 clients, which means a minimum of 168,800 pounds of good each month
• Since late Fall, Manna has received 15 requests a week to for jobs at Manna, coming from the client base and the general population, an unprecedented number.

The need right now is for food high in protein and for main courses. Manna needs:

· peanut butter

· canned meats (ham, chicken) and canned fish (tuna, sardines, salmon)

· beans and rice

· soup

· mac ‘n cheese

Cash donations are needed in addition to food and can be made on-line at mannafood.org.