Manna Food Center is seeing increased need

Manna, located in Rockville, has seen a rise in the number of people turning to the organization for help in the months since costs began increasing at grocery stores and the pumps.

‘‘Each month, more and more people are coming to us,” Gabala said.

Manna served 1,724 families in April 2007; that number rose to 2,263 families last month, she said.

‘‘The only thing that can explain it is that people need more help,” Gabala said, adding that Manna noticed a rise in clientele beginning in September and October.

Gabala explained that many of the families Manna serves are not homeless, but they do not earn enough money to live in the county, buy gas for their cars and put food on the table.

Manna fights hunger primarily by collecting and distributing two million pounds of food each year to needy individuals and families, who are generally referred by agencies or places of worship.

Gabala said the nonprofit organization provides a three- to five-day supply of perishable and non-perishable food to each individual or family at one of seven distribution points in the county, and there is no limit to how often they can return for more food. Manna also distributes food to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, group homes and low-income housing areas.

Manna was started in 1983 by a group of faith-based and government leaders because ‘‘they just saw the need to help the community,” Gabala said. Its original executive director and one of its founding members, Tom Lawrey, retired in 2005.

A lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Gabala, who lives in North Bethesda, said she feels lucky to be able to ‘‘serve this place where I grew up.”

‘‘Every day I get to see extraordinary acts of generosity by the community,” she said.

The food Manna receives comes from community food drives, 37 grocery stores that donate unsold food products and the Federal Surplus Food program.

‘‘We partner with so many groups, individuals and organizations,” Gabala. ‘‘That’s where our strength comes from. They allow Manna to be the successful organization that it is.”

On May 14, Manna will join with four county Whole Foods Markets and Ride On Transit for an all-day program called ‘‘Stuff-A-Bus,” during which they will fight hunger by asking people to help fill a Ride On bus with non-perishable food items. Manna will then distribute the food items to people in need.

The event will take place at the following Whole Foods Market locations:

*Bethesda: 5269 River Road, 301-984-4860.

*Gaithersburg: 316, Kentlands Blvd., 301-258-9500.

*Rockville: 1649 Rockville Pike, 301-984-4880.

*Silver Spring: 833 Wayne Ave., 301-608-9373.

In addition, 5 percent of all sales from county Whole Foods Markets will benefit Manna Food Center on May 14.

Another way to help

Business owners organized by Lisa Flaxman of musiKids and Hyun Martin of Be You Bi Yu Wellness Center & Spa have partnered with Manna Food Center in Rockville to ask people to buy extra cans of food and donate them at area drop spots. Each week, members of the consortium will collect the food and deliver it to Manna Food Center.

Local businesses participating in the effort are musiKids, Be You Bi You Wellness Center, The Six O’Clock Scramble and Kensington Business Solutions.

Drop spots are located at:

musiKids Bethesda, 4900 Auburn Ave., Bethesda

musiKids Rockville, 1701 Rockville Pike, B-8, Rockville

Be You Bi You, 5602 Shields Drive, Bethesda

Heineman Myers Gallery, 4728 Hampden Lane, Bethesda

Chevy Chase Super Market, 8513 Connecticut Ave.

North Chevy Chase Elementary School, 3700 Jones Bridge Road

Right now, Manna needs food high in protein and items for main courses, including peanut butter; canned meats, such as ham and chicken; canned fish, such as tuna, sardines and salmon; beans; rice; soup; and macaroni and cheese.

For more

For more information, visit Manna’s Web site at www.mannafood.org⁄index.html.