Dear MANNA Partner Agency Network leaders,
As we have dealt with the whiplash of the newness and change that happens every day of this COVID-19 crisis, I find hope and honestly relief that at MANNA, we are not in this alone- we have each other. I see it in the smiles behind your masks, the kind words as y’all pick up food, and I see it our shared strength as we lift every single one of those boxes of food to hand to a family who has found themselves in need in this unimaginable time.
Being in this together, especially now, is vital to people and families that are struggling for stability. While I don’t have perfect data to report on how long the lines have gotten, we know that they have definitely grown for those of you that serve the public. So at the same time that you are offering a low contact hand up to more people than ever, you still have to keep your lights on, find volunteers, and get the word out about food to people that may never have stepped through your doors.
We’d like to be able to provide a little relief for you too, so you can focus on the work of loving people in our mountains.
In the next couple of weeks, we are going to send over $170,000 in relief funding to our open-site partner agencies that are staying open through this crisis. This unrestricted gift will allow our partner network serving the public to continue responding to the increased need during COVID-19.
MANNA’s Open-site Partner Agencies will receive a range of relief funding depending on the following factors:
- Holding open distributions for the public at least once a month, adjusted funding for more than once
- Committed to serving during COVID-19 pandemic and responding to the increased need
- Shared statistics on households served during COVID-19
- Has incorporated safe distribution practices as a result of COVID-19
- Works to serve a diverse population with inclusive practices
You will be contacted with your organization’s gift amount from the Agency Relations team. In order to receive funds, we are asking y’all to complete a brief survey on your experience during COVID-19 so that we can make further efforts to increase community and decision makers’ understanding of the current and long term impacts of COVID-19 on western North Carolina.
Onward together,
Hannah
