Fresh News April: All In on Food For All

All In on “Food For All” 

Bob and Andy have volunteered side by side for so long that when we sat down to interview them, they initially mixed up their own names. That’s what a decade of shared purpose can do. 

Joe has spent seven years shuttling essential food resources across stunning mountain roads into every hard-to-reach corner of the region. 

Over ten years, Jan has packed thousands of MANNA Packs to ensure Western North Carolina children don’t go hungry.  

Carol has a home office set up specifically for answering Food Helpline calls from neighbors in need. People call her, often in their most vulnerable moments, and she directs them to resources and helps them fill out SNAP applications.

Across WNC, stories like this are everywhere. For many WNC residents, volunteering at MANNA isn’t just something to do, it’s a way of life – part of who they are. Working for MANNA’s mission, they make new friends, serve their communities, find fulfillment, use their skills in new ways, and make an extraordinary impact. They truly are all in on “Food For All.” 

And their impact certainly is extraordinary. Each year, volunteers at MANNA contribute the same work as 33 full-time employees – over a million dollars worth of donated hours spent sorting food donations, packing food boxes for children, and delivering food to rural communities. Every week, we see familiar faces who have given thousands of hours over many years, alongside new volunteers just beginning their journey with us. 

Because of our volunteers’ donated time and energy, MANNA can redirect more resources into food on our neighbors’ tables and into the hands of our partner agencies. That means more meals, more stability, and more hope for families in every corner of our region. 

You, too, can contribute to this impact. We have volunteers that drive through the mountains, visit community events on MANNA’s behalf, assist with warehouse projects, and even take helpline calls from the comfort of their own home.  

If you don’t live near our Mills River, NC warehouse or can’t find a shift that works for you, you can still make a difference by volunteering with a MANNA partner agency! You can use our Food Finder tool to find one near you. These food pantries and meal sites are the front lines of the MANNA mission, working with our neighbors and delivering nourishment firsthand. 

For those who support MANNA’s mission from afar, virtual food drives and fundraisers are always an excellent way to provide food and resources for Western North Carolina. 

It will take all of us working together to end hunger in WNC. Thank you, endlessly, to our incredible volunteers who support this beautiful region by being all in on Food For All. 

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Week 2026!

It’s one of MANNA’s favorite weeks of the year: Volunteer Appreciation Week! We call our volunteers the Heartbeet of MANNA because our work truly would not be possible without them.  

To get started volunteering with MANNA, visit mannafoodbank.org/volunteer. If you live farther from MANNA’s headquarters or can’t find an available VC shift that works for your schedule, consider volunteering instead at one of our partner agencies – the food pantries and meal sites that hand deliver resources to our neighbors in need! You can find their information by visiting mannafoodbank.org/find-food. 

Pop-Up Event Supports TSA Workers During Shutdown

Last month, MANNA hosted a pop-up market at the Asheville airport to support TSA employees who had missed paychecks during the partial government shutdown, despite continuing to show up for work and ensure travel safety.

At MANNA, we will continue to show up for our community and anyone who needs support during difficult times. We’re grateful for our partnership with Asheville Regional Airport for helping us support TSA employees and their families during a period of financial strain.

Food insecurity can affect anyone, often unexpectedly, and when income is interrupted, the first pressure many households feel is at the grocery store. Our focus is on making sure our neighbors in Western North Carolina have access to nutritious food and know they are not facing difficult moments alone. 

Post Office Food Drive Returns for 2026 

On May 9th, the National Association of Letter Carriers are bringing back one of the nation’s largest coordinated food drives! To participate, all you have to do is leave a bag or container or shelf-stable, non-perishable food by your mailbox. Then, your letter carrier will pick it up and bring it to their central post office for delivery to a food aid organization near you. 

Last year, this drive provided more than 20,000 pounds of food for MANNA alone! If you live in Asheville or Buncombe County, your donations will go directly to MANNA. Elsewhere in the region and nation, donations will go to other local food pantries, food banks, and other food aid organizations, many of whom are MANNA partners!