Fresh News May: Food for Today. Food for Tomorrow. Food for a Lifetime.

Food for Today. Food for Tomorrow. Food for a Lifetime.

For too many neighbors in Western North Carolina, hunger is not a single moment of need. It is the empty refrigerator at the end of the week, the skipped meal so a child can eat, the impossible choice between groceries, medicine, rent, or keeping the lights on.

That is why our mission is guided by a simple but powerful commitment: Food for Today, Food for Tomorrow, and Food for a Lifetime. This approach shapes how MANNA and our partners respond to hunger in all its forms—meeting hard realities with both urgency and hope.

Food for Today is the most familiar part of our work. It is the food that helps fill a neighbor’s plate when they need support right now. MANNA helps make that possible by sourcing and distributing food to over 300 partner agencies across 16 counties in WNC and the Qualla Boundary. Through pantries, meal sites, schools, and other community-based partners, nutritious food reaches neighbors every day.

Food for Today also means affirming the dignity of our neighbors whenever possible. At many partner pantries, neighbors can take part in a full-choice shopping experience, choosing the foods that best fit their families, cultures, health needs, and daily lives.

But we don’t stop with today. Food for Tomorrow is about helping fewer neighbors need emergency food assistance next week, next month, or next year. That work begins with connecting people to stabilizing resources like SNAP, WIC, and other community and healthcare services.

Food for Tomorrow also means listening to neighbors, partners, and local farmers about what support is most needed in their own communities—supporting the producers who nourish our region, providing resource and community connection, and offering programs that help families move toward greater health and independence.

Food for a Lifetime embodies our most ambitious goals. We don’t just want to feed people today and tomorrow, we want to create a WNC where food and health are abundant and accessible. This requires us to advocate for policies and systems that help neighbors thrive, especially as national and statewide decisions continue to shape access to SNAP, affordable groceries, and healthcare.

Food for a Lifetime also asks us to fight against the barriers that make hunger harder to escape. A family may need food today, but they may also need transportation to reach a pantry, language skills to understand available resources, or public policies that help keep groceries, healthcare, and housing within reach.

When MANNA speaks up for stronger anti-hunger programs and works alongside partners across WNC, we are not only responding to hunger in the moment. We are helping build the conditions for a more food-secure future.

Hunger has both urgent and long-term solutions. You can be part of Food for Today, Tomorrow, and a Lifetime with just a few simple steps:

• Connect a neighbor to support. Share MANNA’s Food Finder Tool or Food Helpline (828-290-9749) with someone who may need food today or a connection point for long-term stability.
• Volunteer your time. Serve with MANNA or with a partner pantry near you to help make food more accessible in your own community.
• Use your voice. Stay informed about the issues shaping hunger in WNC and speak up for policies and systems that help every neighbor thrive.

MANNA Partner Conference Brings Hunger Professionals Together

Our 2026 Partner Conference (PCON) brought together representatives from our network of over 300 food distribution and food justice partners from across WNC to collaborate, learn from one another, and imagine a better future for our communities.

The day was grounded in the theme of “Food for Today, Food for Tomorrow, and Food for a Lifetime,” centered around partners connecting with each other to learn about and build on what it means to be a MANNA Partner. Some partners taught essential Spanish skills for food distribution, and others learned about how easy it is to collect essential Mountain Community Insights data.

As one partner shared at the end of the day, “There are a lot of people who care a whole lot in this room.” We couldn’t describe our partner network any better. Through collaborating and learning from one another, we can make each other stronger in our mission to end hunger in WNC!

To hear from our partners directly about what Food for Today, Food for Tomorrow, and Food for a Lifetime mean to them, watch this video!

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Supports Hunger Relief

On May 9th, the National Association of Letter Carriers brought back Stamp Out Hunger: one of the nation’s largest coordinated food drives!

Participating in this food drive simply asks communities to leave non-perishable food by their mailboxes for letter carriers to bring to their central post office for delivery to a food aid organization near you. This year, this drive provided nearly 15,000 pounds of food for MANNA alone!

All donations from Asheville or Buncombe County went directly to MANNA. Elsewhere in the region and nation, donations went to other local food pantries, food banks, and other food aid organizations, many of whom are MANNA partners!

Thank you so much to the National Association of Letter Carriers for hosting the event, and to every single person who left food by their mailbox to participate. Each and every pound of food raised will go towards feeding neighbors and ensuring Food for All in Western North Carolina and beyond.

Table for Three Raffle Tickets on Sale Now!

We are thrilled to announce MANNA’s seventh annual Table for Three Raffle — our partnership with the Asheville-area’s nationally-recognized, independent restaurant scene. With the chance to win 52 unique dining experiences for two, Table for Three turns love for our independent restaurant scene into tangible support for families experiencing food insecurity in Western North Carolina.

How it Works:
1. Buy a raffle ticket for $104 — only 500 are available.
2. Enter to win the grand prize of 52 unique restaurant gift cards, a value of $3,000!
3. Support MANNA’s work to end hunger.
4. Enjoy a year of dining out if you win! Gift cards can be used yourself or gifted to others.

Click here to view the participating Restaurant Partners and secure your tickets today. With every ticket sold, you’re helping MANNA provide 166 meals to neighbors across our mountains — that’s a win for everyone!

Planned Giving – Did You Know?

Food for a Lifetime doesn’t just guide MANNA – it can also frame an impactful and long-term way to support our Western North Carolina neighbors.

Estate planning can ensure your legacy has a direct impact on our community, but can feel challenging to get started. That’s why MANNA has a free estate planning tool kit for you to download!

If you would like to learn more about charitable giving and the many ways to ensure Food for Today, Food for Tomorrow, and Food for a Lifetime, please contact MANNA FoodBank’s Director of Philanthropic Engagement, Laurel Crosby at lcrosby@mannafoodbank.org. To give via stock/securities please contact Libby Barker at lbarker@mannafoodbank.org.