The Contradictions of Manna

It can be complicated, serving a diverse community. Individuals and families come to Manna with a variety of wants and needs, and contradictions are apparent by the very nature of our works...

• excluded = welcomed: many who sit at our table feel left out by society at large, but everyone that comes is greeted as an honored guest
• poor = rich: our guests are far removed from material wealth, but enjoy the bounty of caring neighbors and friends
• hungry = fed: not only the food fills them, but words of encouragement and hope nourish them for the day
  

It can be complicated, and yet very simple...

What's Left Behind

As part of looking back at the last 30 years of Manna's life, we reflect upon the vision and legacy of those that came before us:

• Love for neighbors
• Encouragement for the down-trodden
• Service above self

Now we get to decide. What will we leave behind...

Wasted Welcomes

Bobby walks in the door of Manna for the early meal. His eyes have a far-away look, and when we greet him he doesn't respond. Bobby goes through peaks and valleys with his mental illness. Sometimes he's responsive and will share pieces of his life. Other times he shuts down, indicating that he needs to be left alone.

We never know how Bobby will be feeling, but we continue to welcome him in the same opening manner. Some would argue that we're wasting our time with the likes Bobby. Even though most of the folks that come to Manna are friendly and open, he and others like him can be distant and at times off-putting.

We continually remind ourselves, however, that every day there is the opportunity to break through, to show people that we care, to demonstrate to them that we are here for them, for the long haul, no matter what...

Small Impact

Manna's Summer Cooking Program for Teens began last week, with an average of eight students attending the classes. Three days a week they have the opportunity to learn about healthy cooking and help perform a vital community service by preparing meals for the people we serve.

Immediately, one teen (we'll call her Katie), stands out from the others. It is her third year of participating in the class. She does more then participate, however: she takes ownership. Katie actively engages with the other students and to a degree helps lead the class. When other students are heading for the door, she is helping to transport the meals from the church kitchen over to Manna.

Some may wonder about the impact of the program; eight to ten students a day, many of them attending multiple classes, perhaps 50 in total involved over the summer. Rather than being possessed with increasing the number of students, we focus instead on the difference it makes on those that attend.

Even if we change only one person's life, isn't that enough...

Healing and Cures

July 1st will mark my 12th year as Manna's executive director. Looking back over that time period, I reflect not so much on what we have done as an organization, but on the people we serve. For many of the them, this year is no different than 12 years ago; and the same could be said for their foreseeable future.

All they want is a decent job, good health, strong relationships. Insted, there is the frustration of living on the edge, hoping those things will come about. In the midst of that, Manna is there for them; providing a friendly place for them to come to, a means for the basics of food, and emergency help when the crises come about.

Often, we do not have a cure; but healing is always a possibility...

Ignoring the Balloons

As Manna on Main Street thinks about and prepares for our 30th Anniversary celebration, we take care to remind ourselves why we celebrate:

• We celebrate the vision and dedication of those that came before us, those that laid the foundation for this important work.
  
• We celebrate our commitment to humbly serve.
  
• We celebrate with gratitude the wonderful support of this community.
  
• We celebrate those that come to be fed every day, those that will arrive tomorrow.

Yes, the balloons are pretty; we focus on what lies beyond...

Still Crazy

As Manna begins celebrating the arrival of our 30th anniversary (more details on our web site) we look back to consider our beginning. We think about our founding and consider that at the time, creating a soup kitchen in Lansdale may have seemed like a crazy idea. Soup kitchens were considered a relic, a stigma from the depression era, something relegated to large cities. Getting started was not easy. There was resistance from some myopic community members, but the thoughtful leaders of Manna persevered.

Over the years Manna earned a solid reputation for humility and service, and because of a generous community was able to grow and meet other emerging needs; needs like emergency funding for shelter, utilities and medical costs. Outreach and community involvement was broadened, including all ages, faiths and points of view.

As we look to our future, we envision the expansion of our outreach to a larger geographic area, and becoming more involved in gaining access to food for people in need. There are those that may consider us crazy in trying to do more, but we see the needs continuing to grow and believe we can help alleviate some of the suffering around us.

We are hopeful that you will continue with us on this crazy journey of service, and dreaming with us of the possibilities for the next 30 years…