A Chance To Change The Future

MANNA is a place where people from all backgrounds and experiences come together to unite in a singular mission: ending hunger in WNC. As a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to highlighting and advocating for the issues that affect the people we serve, we recognize the level of community support required to accomplish our mission, and invite everyone to be part of our advocacy efforts.

We are proud to be part of a united community focused on filling empty plates across WNC, the state, and the nation. One of the most effective ways we can all take action to support this mission is through voting, because exercising your right to vote is one of the best ways to fight hunger here at home, and for our fellow citizens everywhere.

As election season approaches, we’ve been helping register people to vote as part of our Voter Advocacy initiative. Thanks to a wonderful partnership with Democracy NC – a nonpartisan nonprofit that helps NC citizens exercise their right to vote – and Feeding America, we have worked to provide opportunities for our clients to register to vote at food distributions. Making this available to the people we serve is vital. We see firsthand how the working families we serve have to juggle so many daily tasks just to get by; hosting voter registration at a food distribution means they can get the food their family needs, and sign up to participate in our democracy.

“The reason that voting and voter engagement is so important, here in Western North Carolina, is because the decisions our elected officials make really do affect our everyday lives,” says Hannah Randall, CEO of MANNA FoodBank. “That’s why we’re focused on voter engagement.”

At a recent food distribution, we registered Mr. Abshire, a 63 year-old resident of Leicester who has never voted or registered to vote. As one client says, “finding the time to go register to vote, finding a place to do it is sometimes a problem, because it’s not always right there”.

By registering clients at partner agencies, we are able to make sure we are giving voice to people who matter to us and our mission. It is important to us that we are doing everything in our power to ensure that populations affected by hunger and food insecurity have the opportunity to vote for people who are going to influence legislation that will better their livelihood.

As Brittany Jones, a client of Fairview Community Center, said, “The future is uncertain. If you vote, then maybe you can change the future.”

Become An Advocate and Fight Hunger

With 2020 being a national election and census year, there will be many important decisions to make regarding hunger and food insecurity. To stay informed and to become part of the community engaging in “calls to action,” please consider joining our Advocacy Newsletter here.

Are You Registered to Vote?

Not sure if you’re registered to vote in the upcoming primary, local and general election? Take one minute to check by clicking the button here!