Won’t You Feed My Neighbor?

Author Jon J. Muth said, “It is easy to believe we are each waves and forget we are also the ocean.” Manna Food Center is a place where it’s hard to forget we are the ocean. We might want to just come to work, put lunch in the fridge, fold the umbrella, hang the coat, check a dozen voicemails—but there are rarely solitary tasks here. Feeding the hungry is not something any staff can do alone. Our neighbors, volunteers, and members of the community make each day’s work possible. Some days that means third-graders donating the profits of their lemonade stand to help us purchase food, or a recent retiree joining the daily rhythm of taping-cutting-sorting-packing, taping-cutting-sorting-packing.

Financial strain doesn’t stop the tide of holidays from happening. Cultural celebrations and memories are so often rooted in communal meals. Families pack into cars, board trains and planes, for perhaps their only visit this year. The ebb and flow of gatherings continue, and people still need to eat.

But you know that. You, our Montgomery County neighbors, stepped in with financial contributions during our Holiday Hunger Drive, so we could purchase the quality and types of foods we need to help nourish the families we serve. The gift tags mailed in by you and your neighbors are loving reminders of our community’s support in the work we do best. Today, the last day we operate before Christmas, boxes are donned with tags from children, churches, families, and nameless donors who mailed us funds for food for our families.

Some things are best said in pictures.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

About Lindsey Seegers

Lindsey Seegers is the Program Manager of Nutrition Education at Manna Food Center. Her background is in Social Work and Nutrition; her passion is cooking food always delicious and nutritious. She teaches cooking and nutrition classes, and leads grocery store tours around Montgomery County about affordable and do-able healthy cooking. Since 1983, Manna has been feeding Montgomery County’s food insecure residents. In our 30 years of service Manna has served nearly 3 million people, 668,527 households, and distributed 45 million pounds of food. As the designated food bank for Montgomery County we are the main resource people turn to when they find themselves in need of food assistance. Manna delivers emergency food assistance through its three main programs: Food for Families, Smart Sacks, and Agency Food Distribution.

View all posts by Lindsey Seegers