Manna House Collects Record Amounts of Food at the State Fair of Texas

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State Fair Ferris Wheel and Manna House truck
Photo credit Manna House Facebook page

Manna House Can Feed An Additional 800 People This Holiday Season

(Midlothian, TX – October 31, 2022) In partnership with the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB), Manna House of Ellis County participated in the “Feed the Need” food drive during the 2022 State Fair of Texas. Every Wednesday during the State Fair of Texas, fairgoers could gain entrance to the fair for only $5 when they donated five canned goods.

Stationed at all State Fair entrances, the NTFB collected more than 280,000 pounds of food for the Dallas area. Manna House volunteered to receive donations at two gates of the State Fair. They collected 48 Gaylord boxes or 40,000 pounds of food in only two days. By partnering with local food pantries, the food collected by the NTFB can get into the hands of people who need it most quickly and efficiently.

“We are so grateful for the partnership that we have with Manna House and its commitment to addressing the complex problem of hunger in North Texas. We simply could not do what we do in the fight against hunger without the support of our feeding partners. Manna House is a critical component of our efforts and we could not meet the growing need without their trust, collaboration and service to the community,” says Russ Bacino, Sr. Community Partner Specialist for the North Texas Food Bank.

When asked what impact an additional 40,000 pounds of food will have on Manna House’s local community, Manna House Director Sissy Franklin says, “This will allow us to feed an additional 800 people this holiday season.”

“Right now, we are seeing record numbers of people applying for assistance in the food pantry,” says Franklin. “With the rising cost of food, supply chain issues and a looming economic recession, more people in the community need support just to make ends meet.”

Manna House serves all of Midlothian ISD, where as many as 1 in 4 students are food insecure. Midlothian also serves an increasing number of senior citizens who are on a fixed income and rely heavily on the supplement of the food pantry each week or month.

Manna House is committed to ensuring that every member of our community has dependable access to food, utilities, and other basic needs. If you or someone you know needs assistance, contact Manna by visiting mannahouseoutreach.org or calling 972.775.1800.

Manna cannot support the community alone. If you would like to help your neighbors, there are many ways to serve through Manna. And as the holidays approach, there is a greater demand for needs to be met.

Currently, Manna is collecting donations for its Annual Thanksgiving Baskets. Donors can make a monetary contribution or donate the food items needed to make a basket. Please visit https://mannahouseoutreach.org/ to learn more.

Manna House Thanksgiving flyer

About Manna House: Created in 1992, Midlothian, Texas-based Manna House is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of people in crisis across Ellis County. The Manna House organization consists of two food pantries located in the cities of Midlothian and Italy. They also operate Heaven’s Attic and Manna House Resale at both locations, which offer new and gently used clothing for the whole family, in addition to a wide variety of household goods, small appliances, books, toys, furniture and more. All proceeds from Heaven’s Attic resale boutiques support up to 75% of Manna House’s outreach efforts and operations. For more information, please visit www.mannahouseoutreach.org.