Message from Manna President — Fall Food Drive

October 12, 2011

IMG_3774 - Manna volunteers sort groceries — Manna volunteers sort groceries as they arrive at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds.

Letter to the editor:

We are writing to thank the town of Bracebridge for supporting the Manna Food Bank at the Fall Food Drive on October 4, organized by the Muskoka Oldtimers Hockey Club.

Our community has turned out in force to help, and we are so grateful to you all.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Oldtimers for spearheading the drive once again.

Thank you to the businesses and organizations that help raise awareness through their signage and community announcements.

Thank you to more than 100 volunteers who make it happen; the drivers, the runners, the unpackers and others who came out. They include the Oldtimers, students from across Bracebridge, Brownies, Cubs, Beaver Creek inmates and individuals and families who turned out to lend a hand.

And thank you to thousands of residents of Bracebridge who donate food and cash to make a difference in the lives of neighbors struggling to get by.

The Fall Food Drive has become by far the most successful food drive activity of the year for Manna. This year Manna received more than 12,000 lbs of food and $2,100 in cash and cheques.

IMG_3734 - Donated food is packed away in bins. — Donated food is packed away in bins.

While some food banks are fighting to keep their doors open as the effects of the recession increase demand, Manna continues to rise to the challenge, as the community pulls together to help on occasions like this.

For that we thank you. Together we are making a difference.

We also want to let you know that Manna’s AGM is on Wednesday November 2 at the Lion’s Club of Bracebridge, 325 Fraserburg Rd., at 1:30. Everyone is invited.

Manna’s volunteer board of directors has two vacancies. Contact the food bank for information at 705.646.0114 or info@mannafoodbank.ca if you would like to apply.

The Manna Food Bank is a Bracebridge-based, volunteer-run charity whose mission is to ensure that the immediate needs of the hungry are met. Every month Manna distributes a three-day-plus food supply to about 500 people, nearly half of them children.

Your sincerely,

Carolyn Horne
President
Manna Food Bank

Here is a slide show of photos. Or you can go directly to Manna’s Flickr site to see all the photos at once. Contact us at info@mannafoodbank.ca for print-quality versions.