MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance), one of the nation’s leaders in evidence-based nutrition, was founded in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1990, at the height of the HIV epidemic.
Its founders’ goal was to deliver nutritious meals to those who were sick and dying.
That mission has grown exponentially since the early 1990s.
“We’ve evolved as an organization that really is more focused on food as medicine,” said Sue Daugherty, president and CEO of MANNA, during an interview with PHILADELPHIA.Today.
Since joining the organization as a registered dietician nutritionist in 1999, Daugherty has seen MANNA’s evolution firsthand.
“Thank goodness there were advancements in medications for HIV and AIDS, and so we saw this shift from people dying from HIV and AIDS to people living, but not living without serious consequence,” Daugherty said.
From there, MANNA made a shift to providing scientifically-designed meals with the right nourishment to help people live.
Today, the organization serves people with more than 80 different illnesses, and sees itself as “the pharmacy for your prescription diet,” Daugherty highlighted.
This year, MANNA is celebrating its 35-year anniversary.
To celebrate this year’s milestone anniversary, MANNA will be hosting a fundraiser that will serve as an evening of culinary excellence, elegance, and community impact.
“It’s going to be a party,” said Daugherty.
The upcoming event will be curated by High Street Hospitality Group co-owner Eli Kulp and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Kalaya.
The 35th anniversary fundraising event will feature a cocktail reception with a family-style dinner curated and prepared by Kulp and Suntaranon, along with dessert stations showcasing some of the most celebrated chefs and restaurants Philadelphia has to offer.
“It’s going to be such an amazing food experience,” said Daugherty. “We want to bring back little pieces of the events [we’ve had] over the 35 years and really elevate and highlight the work that we’re doing.”
MANNA has a set $1 million fundraising goal with the intent of using the funds to serve more clients.
Beyond its efforts to connect individuals and families to more nutritious food options and effective diets, MANNA has also become a nationwide leader in advocating for policy change.
“We were the first organization in the country that published research in 2013 that showed not only do our clients do better by better health outcomes, but we’re saving the healthcare system significant healthcare dollars,” Daugherty said.
As a volunteer-driven organization, MANNA serves about 1,300 households weekly with nutritious meals at no cost.
In partnership with Medicaid providers throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, MANNA is advocating to have this be a mandated benefit for all and remove the burdens that may hinder families and individuals from getting nutritious meals.
MANNA’s 35th anniversary fundraiser is set to take place Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 at The Bellevue Hotel’s Grand Belle Ballroom from 6 to 10 p.m.
To learn more about the organization and its 35-year history, visit MANNA’s website.
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