When MANNA lost all of its warehouses, equipment, and resources to Hurricane Helene, the organization worked around the clock to establish makeshift distribution hubs—ensuring food continued reaching neighbors who needed it most. Today, MANNA operates from its new headquarters in Mills River, standing even stronger in the wake of disaster.
It was vastly important that we acted quickly. People had no homes, nearly no grocery stores were operational and those that were instantly had no food left. We had many more people to feed and under the worst circumstances possible.
Food insecurity has long been a significant challenge in Western North Carolina, where limited job opportunities and food deserts continue to affect thousands of families. For 41 years, MANNA FoodBank has been closing this gap by sourcing and distributing millions of pounds of food each year. As an accredited member of Feeding America, MANNA partners with more than 225+ local agencies to reach people across 16 counties and the Qualla Boundary, offering a critical lifeline for neighbors in need.
Today, MANNA operates from its new headquarters in Mills River, and our goal is to build back even stronger in serving our neighbors across our 16-county region and the Qualla Boundary. On any given day, to meet the elevated need for food during this crisis, MANNA is distributing enough food for 92,000 meals.
Whether responding to urgent crises or addressing daily hunger realities, MANNA’s mission remains steadfast: to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina.