MANNA kicks-off its annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser Oct. 11.
The Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance was founded in 1993 by members of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. Each year around Thanksgiving, MANNA hosts its Pie in the Sky fundraising event. This year will mark the event’s 15th anniversary.
“Pie in the Sky, to sum it up, is a pie sale,” said Lindsay Cohen, the strategic partnership coordinator of MANNA. “We sell four different types of pies to outreach to the co mmunity. We sell three of them for $25 each and one for $50. All of the proceeds go toward MANNA and our mission.”
The different types of pies include the signature MANNA-made “Sky Pie,” holiday pumpkin pie, traditional apple pie and southern pecan pie. Every year MANNA enlists the help from volunteers in many ways.
“I know a lot of college students like to get involved with various charities and various fundraisers and I think Pie in the Sky with MANNA is definitely a great way to get involved,” Cohen said. “It’s a fun charity event. Food and college students go together well. You know everyone would love to get pies around the Thanksgiving holiday.”
Anyone can join this initiative as an individual or team seller. Sellers are responsible for promoting the event through social media sites.
“Rather than having to do volunteer hours somewhere, [selling pies] is a different way to get involved,” Cohen said.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, MANNA will host its kick-of party at the Public House Restaurant at 1801 Arch St., from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
“The kickoff party is a chance for individuals to get involved in MANNA’s Pie in the Sky fundraiser by becoming a pie seller or a pie selling team. Becoming a pie seller is easy and fun–individuals simply sell pies to their family, friends, co-workers, students, whoever–and all of the proceeds go directly toward MANNA’s mission,” Cohen said.
“The kick-off party includes food, drinks, stories from past pie sellers and volunteers, and of course information and promotional materials will be given out to ease everyone’s selling efforts,” Cohen added. “It’s going to be a fun party, and a way of saying thank you to all of MANNA’s hard-working pie sellers.”
In addition to Pie in the Sky, each moth MANNA prepares and home-delivers more than 70,000 nutritious meals to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS, cancer or other life-threatening illnesses, serving Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern N.J.
Through its mission, volunteers have made and home delivered more than 800,000 meals each year, free of charge, with the help of a large volunteer base.
MANNA also provides education and counseling to help clients make the most appropriate nutritional decisions concerning their well-being while going through medical treatment.
Kierra Bussey can be reached at kierrajb@temple.edu.
When I used to get samples from sites like “Get Official Samples” I would spend about $120 a week I thought that was good because I always shopped at Safeway and my receipt said I had saved 18 percent.