CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The story began as what Vicki York, one of the founders of Manna Café, called a blueprint from God given to her late husband Kenny York in 2008, for a food ministry. Today, the organization is one of the area’s largest faith-based ministries serving those in need in Clarksville and surrounding communities.

In the beginning, when it came to hot meals and food distribution, York said it was on a very small scale, but all of that and more continues today on a much larger scale. York said Manna Cafe began with her and Kenny in Nashville, but they made the move to Clarksville in May of 2010.

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Manna Cafe programs

As it grew over the years, Manna Café, which is an agency of the United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region, added a number of programs that included a free health clinic, a Mobile Food Pantry, an emergency warming center in the winter, as well as a cooling center in the summer.

There is also a culinary internship available, and the Our Chance program offered by Manna Café, which York said focuses exclusively on families with children who are in need. Manna also partners with FreeWill to offer an online will-writing platform to make estate planning accessible to everyone.

One program York said they are very proud of is their Food Rescue. “We rescue from grocery stores more than 1 million pounds of food every year. So much of the food from grocery stores ends up in the landfill and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it, more than 95 percent of that food is viable,” York said.

The home of the organization is The Manna Village at 605 Providence Blvd., and York said in total Manna Cafe distributes 2.5 million pounds of food each year. Much of that food is rescued, and the other food comes from where the organization can get a good price on food like Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, or of course from donations from the local community.

Helping Manna Cafe

Manna Café will be celebrating its annual Golden Gala fundraiser with a live auction on Nov. 3 at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center. The Manna team will be preparing the food for the event and, something special this year, the organization will raffle off a classic 1981 Chevrolet Corvette.

One of the largest projects for the organization each year is Combat Hunger, which is set for Saturday, Nov. 11. During the food collection drive involving close to 15 grocery stores in Montgomery and Stewart counties, shoppers are asked to pick up extra food items as they shop and donate to Manna Café.

Speaking of donations, Marketing Manager Debra Sutton said a lot of people think they can’t afford to donate, but it doesn’t take a lot. “We have a program where you can donate $19 a month, and you’d be surprised the amount of work and good things that can be done with that $19,” Sutton said.

Sutton added that there are many ways to support Manna Café when it comes to donations, which is also true when it comes to being a volunteer.

To learn more about the work of Manna Café Ministries, to donate, or to become a volunteer, visit mannacafeministries.com, email info@mannacafeministries.com or call 931-933-0970.

Giving Grace, sponsored by Grace Dental, is an ongoing Clarksville Now series showcasing local nonprofit organizations.