Monday, April 26, 2010

Giving Thanks

This past Friday was Manna's annual thank-you dinner for its volunteers and helpers. Nearly 150 caring folks gathered at the North Montco Technical Career School - a fabulous meal was prepared by Chef Charles Cole and his students. It was a fun, low-key evening.

As part of the program, we shared some comments from the people who come to Manna. We had asked them to share their thoughts on the helpers who serve them. Some of their thoughts were:

  • I appreciate the volunteers at Manna because they are taking time out of their lives to make a difference in ours.
  • I really appreciate all the helpers at Manna on Main Street in Lansdale. I wish my sisters were as nice as them.
  • Great group of people - they are awesome and very helpful and willing to help with everything. Keep up the good work. Rock on!
  • I appreciate all the volunteer work that is done because life is hard right now and sometimes I can be very discouraged. It's good to know that there are people out there that care from their hearts. It's nice to have someone there when it is needed the most. Thank you all for everything.

Thank you all for everything; for your caring hearts; for being there when it is needed the most.

Thanks from real people in need, to those who give...

Monday, April 19, 2010

Little by Little

A couple of weeks ago the nursing students from Montgomery County Community College visited Manna. On a regular basis, Pam Pfalzer a professor of nursing at the college, brings students to do health checks for the guests. In addition to doing blood pressure checks, the students were also measuring blood sugar levels.

One of the more interesting outcomes of their visit was a discussion with an individual who has had a life-long battle with obesity. It turns out that over the past six months he has lost about 50 pounds. He couldn't say that he was doing anything differently, but, he was happy about the change. While he may be unaware, there is one thing that has changed significantly in the past six months: Manna has been serving healthier meals. We have eliminated most of the sweets available, and each meal usually includes one fruit or vegetable. In addition, the volunteers are more aware of portion control and there are more discussions about eating healthier foods.

Pam noted the importance of our clients being in a supportive environment, one that encourages them to think differently about their lifestyle. She recommend we continue with the approach to not pressure them to change, but simply offer them suggestions and alternatives. Little by little, we can make a big difference...

Monday, April 12, 2010

Fresh


One year ago, this was a dream of ours: fresh produce being a part of our daily meals. While we were receiving some fresh food items from local grocery stores, it would usually wind up being given out for the food pantry. And though it was nice for families to have fresh produce to take home with them, our soup kitchen guests were not enjoying the benefits of a healthier diet.

Now it's a different story. Nearly every day there is either a salad or fresh fruit. Often the soups are made from scratch. We often joke about being a five-star soup kitchen (see the current newsletter). But each day, with the help of our food service manager, Barry, we're getting closer to making that a reality.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Two for the price of Two

Come visit the Whole Foods grocery store in North Wales this Friday between 11 am and 2 pm. We will be there along with other members from the Community Nutrition Coalition for another "Fresh Food Drive." The concept is pretty simple: do you regular grocery shopping, and when you select your produce, pick up an extra item to donate to your local food cupboard.

"Two for the price of Two" can really apply to any time you're going shopping, and the goods wouldn't necessarily have to be dropped off at Manna. Perhaps you know a neighboring family having some financial difficulty. Or it could be a family member that is struggling. Perhaps an elderly person you know. You could just stop over and say it was a "buy one, get one free" deal - they don't really need to know all the details...