Manna Food Center
Manna Food Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that distributes food to Montgomery County residents facing food insecurity through warehouse pickups, school programs, household deliveries, and farm partnerships, supporting 56,189 people in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersGaithersburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Manna Food Center does
Manna Food Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, founded in 1983 to eliminate hunger in Montgomery County through food distribution, education, and advocacy. The organization reports that in 2025 it supported 56,189 people, distributed 3.14 million pounds of food, completed 8,805 household deliveries, and partnered with 30 local farms and two farmers markets through its Farm to Food Bank program. It also runs a school-based food program delivering 108,300 weekly bags home from 76 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) sites, and assisted 574 households in accessing federal nutrition benefits such as SNAP.
Its core programs include direct food distribution (warehouse pickup at the Gaither Road facility, household deliveries, and on-site distribution points), Farm to Food Bank, school-based food programs, Community Food Education (cooking and nutrition), and Nutrition Benefits Outreach. Service variants include standard food boxes plus diabetic-friendly, vegetarian-friendly, and dietary-restriction-specific boxes for medical or religious reasons. There is no proprietary technology platform disclosed; operations run through physical distribution channels, a referral partner network of agencies and nonprofits, and standard communication tools such as the website, email, and social media.
Revenue is generated entirely through donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships rather than pricing to beneficiaries, who receive food at no cost. Funding sources include individual donations; corporate partnerships (Bank of America, Cigna Healthcare, TD Bank, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Roberts Oxygen); foundation partners (Healthcare Initiative Foundation, Morningstar Foundation, Wolpoff Family Foundation); and government grants from Montgomery County's Office of Food Systems Resilience, including a $306,000 Infrastructure Grant, $30,000 Coordination Grant, and $428,202 Community Food Assistance Grant. The organization states that 94 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to programs, and it holds Charity Navigator Four-Star and Candid Platinum Transparency certifications. Beyond a Clean Homes Full Plates partnership with JudyMaids in October 2025, infrastructure grants to a peer food rescue consortium in April 2025, a new distribution location at Church of the Redeemer in February 2026, and the inaugural Manna Open golf tournament in February 2026, the inputs disclose no other recent strategic moves.
Manna Food Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Manna Food Center
- Legal name
- Manna Food Center
- Website
- https://mannafood.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Manna Food Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that distributes food to Montgomery County residents facing food insecurity through warehouse pickups, school programs, household deliveries, and farm partnerships, supporting 56,189 people in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Manna Food Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hunger Relief and Food Bank Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH)
Keywords
Where Manna Food Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gaithersburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Manna Food Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Manna receives monetary donations from individuals who want to support hunger relief in Montgomery County. Donations can be made online or by mail, with tax-deductible receipts provided.
- Government Grants and Funding: Manna benefits from county and government food recovery grants, including the Infrastructure Grant Program ($306,000), Coordination Grant ($30,000), and Community Food Assistance Grant ($428,202) from Montgomery County's Office of Food Systems Resilience.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners including Bank of America, Cigna Healthcare, TD Bank, Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, and others provide financial support and sponsorships to the organization.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Manna Food Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Manna Food Center provides free food distribution and hunger relief services to residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. Its core offerings include direct food distribution (warehouse pickups, household deliveries, and distribution sites), the Farm to Food Bank program that sources fresh produce from local farms, school-based weekend bag programs, nutrition education, and SNAP/WIC benefits outreach.
Product overview
Manna Food Center operates as a single integrated nonprofit service organization offering food assistance programs rather than a software platform. The core offering consists of food distribution services (including warehouse pickups, household deliveries, and distribution sites), supplemented by specialized programs including Farm to Food Bank (partnering with 30 local farms), School-Based Programs (serving 76 schools), Community Food Education, Nutrition Benefits Outreach, and Food for Families. The organization also provides referral partner services for other agencies and maintains a corporate partnership program. These programs collectively served 56,189 people and distributed 3.14 million pounds of food in 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Distribution Services
- Farm to Food Bank Program
- School-Based Programs
- Community Food Education
- Nutrition Benefits Outreach
- Food for Families
- Referral Partner Services
- Corporate Partnership Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 94 cents of every dollar goes directly into programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Manna Food Center
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Manna Food Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Manna Food Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- JudyMaidsminorLaunched 'Clean Homes, Full Plates' fall food drive partnership with Manna Food Center targeting food insecurity in Rockville, collecting non-perishable food donations.
- AfriThrivecoreReceived $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
- Nourish NowcoreReceived $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
- Rainbow Community Development CentercoreReceived $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
- So What ElsecoreReceived $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
- Montgomery County Food CouncilcoreReceived $30,000 Coordination Grant from Montgomery County to support food recovery coordination efforts.
- Bank of AmericacoreCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
- Cigna HealthcarecoreCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
- Sodexo Stop Hunger FoundationcoreCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
- TD BankcoreCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
- The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott FoundationcoreCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
- Roberts OxygenminorCorporate partner providing support to Manna Food Center's programs.
- Business Leaders Fighting HungercoreCoalition of business leaders working together to fight hunger in Montgomery County, partnering with Manna Food Center.
- 30 Local Farms and Two Farmers MarketscoreParticipate in Farm to Food Bank program, providing fresh produce to Manna Food Center for distribution to families in need.
- Referral Partner AgenciescoreAgencies and nonprofit organizations that refer participants to Manna, establish eligibility, and can make bulk orders to pick up food for multiple families.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Manna Food Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DC Central Kitchen: DC-based nonprofit that combats hunger through meal distribution, food recovery, and culinary job training. Comparable to Manna in food rescue and community meal programs, with overlapping regional reach.
- Food for Others: Fairfax, Virginia-based food bank providing food distribution to families in need. Closely comparable mid-sized regional food bank with a community food services model and volunteer-driven operations.
- Capital Area Food Bank: Regional food bank serving the greater Washington DC area including Montgomery County. Operates food distribution, nutrition education, and food rescue programs with a similar nonprofit model and overlapping service geography.
- Maryland Food Bank: Statewide Maryland food bank distributing food via a network of partner pantries and programs. Highly comparable to Manna in mission, food distribution model, and reliance on donations and government support, though it operates at a multi-county scale.
- Nourish Now: Rockville, MD food rescue organization explicitly named as a Manna partner on the 2025 Infrastructure Grant. Operates food recovery and redistribution in the same Montgomery County market with a closely aligned model.
Emerging players
- AfriThrive: Maryland-based nonprofit supporting immigrant and refugee communities with food assistance, co-recipient of the 2025 Infrastructure Grant with Manna. Operates community food programs with an overlapping beneficiary base.
- So What Else: Bethesda-based nonprofit addressing food insecurity and youth development, listed as a Manna partner on the 2025 Infrastructure Grant. Comparable in food distribution scope but with a broader social services mission.
- Rainbow Community Development Center: Montgomery County community development nonprofit named as a Manna partner on the 2025 Infrastructure Grant. Comparable in local food assistance focus and community-based service delivery, serving overlapping Montgomery County beneficiaries.
Broad incumbents
- Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization and network of 200+ regional food banks. As the umbrella body that Manna likely interfaces with, it provides supply-chain scale and national donor reach that contextually frames Manna's local position.
Regional players
- Moveable Feast: Maryland-based nonprofit providing medically tailored meals and food delivery to individuals with chronic illness. Comparable food distribution and home-delivery operating model, though serving a specialized beneficiary niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Manna Food Center social profiles
Digital presenceManna Food Center compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Manna Food Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Manna Food Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Manna Food Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Manna Food Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Manna Food Center
What does Manna Food Center do?
Manna Food Center provides free food distribution and hunger relief services to residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. Its core offerings include direct food distribution (warehouse pickups, household deliveries, and distribution sites), the Farm to Food Bank program that sources fresh produce from local farms, school-based weekend bag programs, nutrition education, and SNAP/WIC benefits outreach.
Is Manna Food Center a public or private company?
Manna Food Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Manna Food Center founded?
Manna Food Center was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Manna Food Center based?
Manna Food Center is headquartered in Gaithersburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Manna Food Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are government Grants and Funding and corporate Partnerships.
Who are Manna Food Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DC Central Kitchen, Food for Others, Capital Area Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank and Nourish Now. Emerging players are AfriThrive, So What Else and Rainbow Community Development Center. Feeding America is listed as a broad incumbent. Moveable Feast is listed as a regional player.
Does Manna Food Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Manna Food Center.
What industry is Manna Food Center in?
Manna Food Center's product category is Hunger Relief and Food Bank Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAJAD, School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs, with a secondary code of EUAIAEAH, Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs). Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 5141.