Two days before the Christmas holiday, employees from several WNC regional Wells Fargo branches including the entire Arden store branch volunteered at the MANNA FoodBank volunteer center, helping to prepare and pack MANNA Packs for Kids, which are distributed directly to children.
Not only did these volunteers help to end hunger by taking action just two days before the holiday, but their action helped get nutritious food to the most vulnerable people MANNA serves: our WNC children in need.
Two groups of Wells Fargo employees, led by Neal DiQuattro, Community Banking District Manager, and Malina Sprouse, Asheville Store Manager, packed a total of 2,130 MANNA Packs in one evening, which equates to over 9,450 lbs of food for area children.
In addition to this tremendous act of service, the Wells Fargo Foundation presented Mary Nesbitt, Chief Development Officer, with a generous $10,000 grant that will go towards helping to feed families in need across Western North Carolina.
“The $10,000 gift means that MANNA will be able to provide nutritious food for over 30,000 meals,” said Nesbitt. “We are so grateful for our long-standing partnership with Wells Fargo, but to have this special gesture by their leadership, staff and Foundation right before the holidays is an especially meaningful gift to the children and families that we serve.”
About MANNA Packs for Kids
Every Friday in the school year MANNA Packs containing nutritious, kid-friendly food are given directly to children of low-income families. This helps ensure that these children have enough food to eat over the weekend or during vacation breaks. MANNA distributes 4,838 MANNA Packs for Kids every week across Western North Carolina, and thanks to the help of volunteers like the Wells Fargo group, MANNA can continue to ensure that these children will be taking home nutritious food in their backpacks.
Childhood hunger is a real issue in WNC: One out of every four children is food insecure, which is higher than the national average. Food insecurity in children has been linked to lack of focus, inability to learn in school, behavioral issues, and illness. The MANNA Packs for Kids program continues to send food to the most vulnerable children in WNC to make sure every child has the energy and nutrition necessary to grow, learn, and play.
