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MANNA volunteers prep meals for holiday season
FOX 29's Hank Flynn has the story.
PHILADELPHIA - For the last 30 years, MANNA —which stands for Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance — has served as an essential meal provider for residents in need.
Arlene James was meal checking at MANNA Wednesday afternoon. Three days a week, she gives out of gratitude. She survived a horrible wreck 30 years ago.
"I was paralyzed from the neck down. Somebody had to feed me. So now, I turn my time in to help somebody else. It's more blessed to give than it is to receive," she said.
Arlene, who is retired, says she's better off working than watching soap operas.
MANNA prepares and delivers medically-tailored meals for families impacted by serious illness, vulnerable people in a pandemic. The need has skyrocketed, according to Laura from MANNA.
"And so our numbers were huge. At our peak, we were serving almost 38,000 meals a week and those are all home-delivered — breakfast lunch and dinner, seven days a week," she said.
Those 38,000 weekly meals have typically been produced by 150 daily volunteers. That's now down to about 50 hardcore daily volunteers with their own reasons to give.
"Our numbers usually are down around the holiday season, our volunteer numbers, but this season especially so manna.volunteerhub.com. We welcome individuals, small groups, anyone above the age of 14," Laura said.
FOX 29 is happy to support MANNA and we hope that many of our viewers will be able to help the families and individuals in our area by making a donation to MANNA or volunteering with them.
For more information on MANNA, please click here.
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