MANNA · 25th Anniversary & Relocation
The Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance — called MANNA — is moving. During the organization's 25th anniversary event, details and photos of the new facility were unveiled.
MANNA is leasing a new building in the Callowhill area that will more than double its capacity to make meals for clients. The Honickman Foundation is proud to help support this ambitious new endeavour by funding the Nutrition and Client Services Department in the new facility. It will serve as a welcoming space where clients can receive nutrition counseling and plan for a healthier future with the MANNA staff. The Department is also home to MANNA's registered dietitians and community outreach personnel.
According to executive director Sue Daugherty, the new space will allow for the production of 2.5 million meals per year, up from the current capacity of 1 million meals. The move to Callowhill will take place in September 2016.
Just as MANNA's services have expanded and grown over 25 years, the evolution of treatment for people with HIV/AIDS has evolved. In the past, Daugherty said, "we were really more of a comfort agency...dealing with end-of-life issues." But as people started to live longer after their HIV diagnosis, MANNA had to help them manage their lives with the virus. Meals used to include a lot of comfort food and as a result, some patients' cholesterol levels were "off the charts."
Daugherty, a dietician, worked with her colleagues to devise a more heart-healthy menu using foods that can help people manage their overall health. The MANNA model prepares medically tailored meals that can feed a person for half a year for the same cost as one night in the hospital. During the past year, the organization has delivered meals to a population who is battling more than 67 different illnesses.
MANNA does not have any financial requirements for its patients. They serve people based on their need, not their income.