Hope Has a Seat at the Table This Holiday Season

The holiday season brings a mix of reflection and gratitude, and MANNA has felt it all deeply. 2025 has been a whirlwind for us and the families we serve across Western North Carolina, as we navigated Hurricane Helene recovery, major legislative and funding changes, and a government shutdown and SNAP crisis. And through each moment of uncertainty, our community stepped forward in extraordinary ways.

Even as we worked through these external challenges, we were also undertaking critical internal projects to strengthen MANNA for the future.

After our former facility was destroyed in the flood, we had to begin upfitting our new headquarters in Mills River. This year, we added a 16,000-foot refrigerator and freezer to our warehouse, and in just a few weeks, it will be ready to start storing protein, fresh produce, and essential nutrition for our neighbors!

This project is just the first stage of our upfit, and we look forward to someday welcoming our partners, supporters, and neighbors into a completely new space.

And while this work is transforming our operations, the need in our community continues to grow. In October alone, our network served more than 221,000 neighbor visits—the highest in MANNA’s 42-year history. These are parents, grandparents, veterans, students, and workers doing everything they can to stay afloat. And now the holidays have arrived, bringing both joy and pressure for families who want to enjoy a holiday meal while still wondering, “What can we afford this week?”

MANNA is proud that our work supports these families, but we could not have done it without our supporters like you. Because of MANNA’s community—volunteers, partner agencies, advocates, donors, and supporters of all kinds—in 2025, thousands of WNC families have experienced relief, hope, and even celebration.

You’ve helped carry our region through challenging times this year, and you’re helping us enter the holidays with gratitude for what we’ve accomplished together.

Thank you for ensuring hope has a seat at the table—for the holidays, and all year long.

Warm wishes,

The MANNA FoodBank Team