Manna Food Pantries Not Leaving North Escambia; Need Increasing

December 11, 2008

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With layoffs and a failing economy, the business of Manna Food Pantries is picking up across the county, including here in North Escambia. And, despite rumors, Manna directors say they are not leaving North Escambia.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Cathy Sowell, Manna Pantries program director told NorthEscambia.com. “We are seeing people that have never been here before. They were a working family until a job was lost. Then there savings was gone. The next thing you now, they were here for our help.”

At their main location in Pensacola, Manna served an average of about 120 people per day. Since November, that number has soared to up to 250 people for day looking for food.

Manna Pantries provides a short-term emergency food source for those in need in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Food is distributed at seven locations in the two counties, including Century, Molino and Jay.

A total of 948 people were provided food by Manna at their mobile distribution site at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino during the last year. Another 622 people were provided emergency food at Manna’s Century location in the past year, and 365 received assistance in Davisville. The Davisville location was closed by Manna early in the year. An additional 1,025 people were assisted by Manna in nearby Jay.

In all, over 30,000 people received Manna’s assistance in the past year. The agency distributed over 560,000 pounds of food.

Manna relies on donations of money and non-perishable foods to survive. About one quarter of that food is donated during the postal service’s mailbox food drive in May, and a majority of the other donations come during the November to December holiday period.

But about two weeks ago, Sowell was a bit worried. Her warehouses were down to mostly beans and soup, and that did not provide a nutritionally balanced bag of food to those in need.

‘Even with the economy down, those than can donate need to do so,” Sowell said. “We need help.”

If you are interested in helping the Manna Food Pantries, you can make food donations at any of the many food drives held in North Escambia during the year. A food drive is currently underway at the Century Branch Library. Or, you can visit any Manna location, call 432-2053 or visit www.mannafoodpantries.org/donations.html

If you need help from Manna, you can visit their web site at www.mannafoodpantries.org/pantries.html for complete information on receiving assistance.

North Escambia Manna locations are:

Century Pantry
7470 N. Century Blvd.
Intersection of Hwy 29 and West Highway 4
(next to the courthouse)
Thursday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Molino Mobile Pantry
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
6915 North Highway 29
Mondays 10 a.m. – noon

Jay Pantry
First Baptist Church
214 South Alabama Street
Tuesdays 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News