Advancing “Food For All” In a New Year

A new year is bringing meaningful changes to MANNA — not to who we are, but to how MANNA’s infrastructure supports the communities we serve.

We acquired our Mills River facility within days after Hurricane Helene and are deeply grateful for everything it made possible in the earliest phase of our emergency transition. Even then, we knew this space would need upfitting to become MANNA’s permanent home for decades to come. Every decision about this facility has been guided by getting more food, more reliably, to neighbors in need.

Now, that long-term vision is taking shape in tangible ways. We are moving into our new, expanded freezer and cooler to store more protein and fresh produce, temporarily vacating our offices for a full remodel, and reconfiguring our warehouse to accommodate construction. Throughout these changes, our team is continuing to deliver food to our partners with care and consistency.

We are both literally and figuratively setting the foundation to ensure our work is sustainable and scaling to meet the increasing need in the region.

But our building isn’t the only thing evolving. Next week, we’ll be launching a newly updated MANNA website, designed to better connect our community with food and resources. You can read more about it below.

At the same time, our partner agencies across WNC are reopening, moving into new spaces, or launching new programs as part of the region’s ongoing recovery — all helping to advance our shared vision of Food for All.

None of this would be possible without the unbelievable support of our neighbors, donors, volunteers, and supporters of all kinds. Thank you for standing with us as we build toward a stronger, more resilient future for the communities we serve.

Warm wishes,
The MANNA FoodBank Team