Why Do We Need Manna?

The Conejo Valley is a prosperous, upscale suburban community with an average income of $119,000.  So why do we need a local food pantry here?  Because the average income of a Manna client family is $16,116 and we help reduce their food budgets so they can cover all the other costs of living here.   That’s why.  Here’s a closer look at some of our clients. 65% of Manna clients are families with children.  Mike and his wife both lost their jobs at the same time.  After going through their savings, they lost their house.  His wife is working now, but they’re barely getting by while making sure their son is doing well in school and establishing some sense of normalcy for him.  Mike says “so far, so good” and Manna is part of the good for him and his family. 29% of those families with children are single parent households.  Robin is the single mother of a 13 year old daughter and 12 year old son with Downs Syndrome.  A former medical claims supervisor for Blue Cross and Health Net, she’s no longer able to work because she now needs to be available 24 hours a day for her son.  With no other family for support, Robin relies on Manna to feed her family. Sharon is a 69 year old widow who was laid off from her job four years after her husband died.  She hasn’t been able to find work since.  Sharon lives with her unemployed daughter and her 20 year old autistic grandson.  Manna helps her family get by on Sharon’s social security and her grandson’s SSI income. 16% of Manna clients are seniors living on fixed incomes. 77 year old O.C. had to give up his 30 year dental practice under the stress and strain of coping with his wife’s mental illness.  He lived on his savings for several years.  He’s divorced from his first wife of 43 years, has remarried, and now works two days a week while helping his step daughter and granddaughter make ends meets.  Being able to get common food items from Manna really helps O.C. pay his other monthly bills while living on social security and minimal income from his part time job. We’re all about “Neighbors Feeding Neighbors”. For decades Manna and the community have been helping families from all walks of life weather financial storms and we want to thank everyone who supports Manna with food and money donations to help our neighbors Mike, Robin, Sharon, and O.C.