Manna Food Center

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.

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

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

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief
• Food distribution
• Food assistance programs
• Community nutrition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaithersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Core 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

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JudyMaidsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 October 2025Launched 'Clean Homes, Full Plates' fall food drive partnership with Manna Food Center targeting food insecurity in Rockville, collecting non-perishable food donations.
• AfriThrivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Received $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
• Nourish NowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Received $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
• Rainbow Community Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Received $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
• So What ElsecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Received $306,000 Infrastructure Grant from Montgomery County to expand food rescue network through cold storage and transportation infrastructure.
• Montgomery County Food CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Received $30,000 Coordination Grant from Montgomery County to support food recovery coordination efforts.
• Bank of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
• Cigna HealthcarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
• Sodexo Stop Hunger FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
• TD BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
• The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorship to Manna Food Center's hunger relief programs.
• Roberts OxygenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support to Manna Food Center's programs.
• Business Leaders Fighting HungercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of business leaders working together to fight hunger in Montgomery County, partnering with Manna Food Center.
• 30 Local Farms and Two Farmers MarketscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipate in Farm to Food Bank program, providing fresh produce to Manna Food Center for distribution to families in need.
• Referral Partner AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgencies 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/mannafoodcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU1bA5GelMrwnKwVELFkKqQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/225949624094224
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manna-food-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/mannafoodcenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manna Food Center