A Christmas Story
At 5 a.m. on Christmas, members of the Manna Meal team will be scraping the frost off their windshields. Ready for the day.
For some, this is the first holiday season they’ve experienced with Manna Meal. Others have worked with the organization for years, and they’ve just about got the Christmas Day routine down pat.
By the time the team rolls in around 6 on Christmas morning, the bulk of the meal is already panned and cooked. Preparations for the meal—one of the biggest of the year—started a full week earlier.
First order of business on the day-of, then, is to pull a quick breakfast together—to have out before guests arrive at 7. The sun has barely risen, and the kitchen is filled with the clang and clatter of dishes. By 8, the team’s attention has turned to the main meal’s finishing touches. Wrapped in the scents of cinnamon, clove, and garlic, they get to work plating (or boxing up) Christmas “dinner” for the growing line outside.
As soon as the clock strikes 11, dinner is served.
In some ways, it’s just another day at Manna Meal, which operates 365 days a year and provides roughly 325 meals per day.
“We want everyone who walks through our doors to feel at home. We do the best we can with what we have, every day of the year.”
But the Manna Meal team also goes the extra mile to make the holiday feel special.
“We always stick with a traditional meal. We hope our guests leave full and that the meal reminds them of something they might’ve had when they were growing up or experiencing a better time in their life.”
During any normal year, Manna Meal’s holiday cheer would be heightened by the company and contributions of its dedicated volunteers—chattering as they bustle to and fro, piling plates high and breaking out the occasional carol.
This year, though, due to COVID-19, the staff at Manna Meal will be tasked with bringing their service as well as the spirit of the season without the help of volunteers. They’re up to the challenge, because they know that these things—the ingredients of a true holiday—are needed by our community now more than ever.
And you can help meet that challenge.
A donation of $25 goes a long way at Manna Meal, feeding four people right here in our community a traditional Christmas dinner and sparking shared moments of joy.
It’s 2:30 in the afternoon before members of the team are back home to celebrate with their own families, but, still, they’ll be up and at it, ready to do it again the next day