MANNA (Meals, Assistance, Neighbors, Nurturing, Advocacy)

GOAL

Provide for the basic human needs of Hartford’s most vulnerable citizens: the homeless, children and families in crisis, and low-income senior citizens. Our long term goal is to introduce our clients to the network of Hands On Hartford programs and community resources and, ultimately, a future marked by self-sufficiency.

• Preventing hunger among the elderly, children and families through meals served at elderly housing centers, by operating a soup kitchen, and by providing provisions from our food pantry.

• Providing weekend backpacks filled with kid-friendly food to over 200 school kids who might otherwise go hungry on the weekends.

HOW IT WORKS

MANNA consists of the following programs:

• MANNA Community Meals is a soup kitchen located at 45 Church Street in the Parish House of Christ Church Cathedral, serving homeless adults, the working poor, and elderly people.

  • Lunch is served Monday-Wednesday, plus dinners on Monday and Tuesday nights.
    

  • MANNA Community Meals also offers community lunch or dinners on twelve holidays throughout the year (New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve) which bring clients, staff and volunteers together for the sharing of food and fellowship.

• MANNA Community Pantry and Assistance and Advocacy provides groceries to nearly 400 households per month. The pantry utilizes a full choice shopping model in which families are able to “shop” throughout the pantry, choosing items that fit their families’ needs and preferences. The pantry also offers case management services to help clients access essential services related to housing, healthcare, and benefits. The program is located at One Buckingham Street, in space provided by South Congregational Church.

• MANNA Senior Community Cafe is a weekend nutrition and social program for Hartford's low-income and disabled elderly population. It is the city's only weekend program providing meals and social interaction for low-income seniors.

  • Weekend congregate meals are provide to seniors at Betty Knox Center on Woodland Street and at Smith Towers in the Charter Oak neighborhood. The program also provides meal delivery to homebound seniors. Seniors who participate in this program have an easier time making ends meet, maintaining proper nutrition and avoiding the pitfalls of social isolation. 

ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers play two important roles at MANNA: they help with operations and they provide positive interactions and support to our city’s poor, elderly, and displaced residents. There are many different ways volunteers can help out at MANNA. Some of the opportunities include packing backpacks, organizing at the food pantry, and preparing and serving meals at our soup kitchen and Senior Community Café

Many of the clients at our program sites enjoy the company and relationships of volunteers. The elderly, in particular, gain from those personal relationships that can develop. These relationships help them avoid the trap of social isolation that is pervasive among seniors, especially those living alone.

Click here for MANNA volunteer opportunities.