MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance)
At The Honickman Foundation, we are dedicated to helping improve and enhance health outcomes for all our community members. To that end, we have provided continued support to Philadelphia-based MANNA.
MANNA is a leader in evidence-based nutrition services, bringing together dietitians, chefs, drivers, and thousands of volunteers to cook and deliver nutritious, medically appropriate meals and provide nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS.
From hands-on cooking classes and nutrition counseling to the delivery of 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, MANNA provides nourishment, hope, and healing to the Greater Philadelphia area, Southern New Jersey, and beyond. The organization uses nutrition to improve health for people with serious illnesses who need nourishment to heal. By providing medically-tailored meals and nutrition education, MANNA empowers people to improve their health and quality of life.
Volunteers have been at the heart of MANNA since its founding in 1990. Each year, 6,500 caring neighbors donate more than 54,000 hours of their time in the MANNA kitchen. Together they chop, dice, cook, and package meals enabling MANNA to provide meals and counseling at no cost to their clients. Each freshly prepared meal is a reminder that the community cares. MANNA attributes love as the secret ingredient to their nourishment.
MANNA has shown that proper nutrition and education significantly improve overall health. A study of MANNA's medically tailored, therapeutic meals and nutrition counseling published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Primary Care and Community Health demonstrates clear health benefits and cost savings.
- On average, monthly healthcare costs were 31% less and hospitalizations were cut in half compared to patients not receiving MANNA's services.
- This translates to an average savings of $13,000 per month, highlighting the efficacy and importance of MANNA's comprehensive nutrition services for people with serious illnesses.
MANNA's vision for the future is a healthcare system that recognizes the healing effects of proper nutrition for people with serious illnesses.