MANNA

04/13/2026

Yesterday was truly a humbling and unforgettable day for all of us at MANNA.

We are beyond grateful to have been invited to be part of the service at Bellevue Baptist Church, and completely overwhelmed by the generosity shown through their Run for Glory event. To be presented with a donation of over $7,000 left me honestly speechless—shocked, humbled, and deeply thankful.

This incredible gift will go directly toward our mission—helping us provide meals and support to our elderly and disabled neighbors who rely on us every single day. Because of this kindness, more tables will have food, more hearts will feel cared for, and more lives will be touched.

It’s hard to put into words just how much this means, but please know how truly grateful we are. Your compassion is making a real difference in our community, and we are so honored to be a part of it.

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you. 💛

04/07/2026

Thank you to the Girlscout Troop # 23217 that visited MANNA and provided Girlscout Cookies for our MANNA recipients. Thanks to their troop leader Andrea Furhman for her dedication to our children and future!

04/01/2026

We’re excited to share we received a $1,000 Spark Good local grant from our local Walmart Store #316 Attalla, Alabama. This grant will help with the cost of meals that MANNA provides to the elderly, disabled and homebound in our community. We are proud to spark good in our community!

03/31/2026

Today, our hearts are full. 💙

In honor of National Doctors Day, the incredible medical staff at Gadsden Regional Mrdical Center chose to give back in a powerful way—by supporting MANNA: Turning Compassion Into Action.

Every single day, these physicians show compassion through healing hands, long hours, and unwavering dedication to our community. And now, they’ve extended that compassion beyond hospital walls to help us continue serving those in need.

We are deeply grateful for your generosity, your trust, and the example you set—not just as healthcare providers, but as true champions of kindness and community.

Because of you, compassion continues to ripple outward. Thank you for standing with MANNA and helping us turn compassion into action. 💫

🏥 In honor of , our medical staff chose to celebrate by giving back in a meaningful way. 💙

Recently, they voted to donate $2,500 to MANNA (Metropolitan Area Noon Nutrition Association), a local nonprofit dedicated to delivering daily, nutritious meals to residents across Etowah County who are elderly, homebound, or living with disabilities.

More than just a meal, MANNA provides connection, care, & a daily check-in—helping ensure some of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors are supported & not alone.

We’re proud of our medical staff for turning compassion into action & supporting a mission that truly makes a difference beyond hospital walls. 👏 Full story➡ bit.ly/GRMCDoctorsDay2026.

02/26/2026

Last night was such a blessing as we joined the Mission Fest at Rainbow Presbyterian Church alongside so many wonderful organizations serving Etowah County.

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to share the heart behind MANNA — the individuals we walk with and pray with, the needs we see every day, and the hope that comes when a community pulls together.

It means more than you know to stand in a room full of people who care deeply about local missions and are willing to support the work happening right here at home. Thank you for welcoming us so warmly and for your continued faithfulness to serve.

We are honored to partner with you. 💙

02/17/2026

I drive Uber. Night shift mostly. Last week picked up an old man at 11 PM. He got in and said: "I need you to drive me to five places tonight. I'll pay you $500. Cash. But you can't ask why until we're done." Handed me five addresses. First stop: a house in the suburbs. He sat in the car. Stared at it for ten minutes. Crying silently. "Okay. Next one." I drove.

Second stop: elementary school. Empty. Dark. He got out. Walked to the playground. Sat on a swing. Stayed there twenty minutes. Came back to the car. "I taught here. 43 years. Best job I ever had." Third stop: diner. He went inside. Ordered coffee. Sat alone in a booth. Didn't drink it. Just sat. Looking around. Fifteen minutes. Came back. "My wife and I had our first date here. 1967." Fourth stop: cemetery.

He got out at the cemetery. Walked to a grave. Stood there. Talking to it. Couldn't hear what he said. Thirty minutes. When he came back his eyes were red. "My wife. Three years today." Fifth stop: hospital. He asked me to park. Wait. "This is the last one." He looked at me. "Now I'll tell you why. I have stage four cancer. Weeks left. Maybe days. Tonight I wanted to see my whole life. One last time. Before I can't anymore."

I started crying. Right there. "The house - that's where I raised my kids. The school - where I found my purpose. The diner - where I fell in love. The cemetery - where I said goodbye. And here. The hospital. Where I'm checking in tonight. Hospice floor. I'm not going home." He handed me $500. "Thank you for driving me through my life. You're the last stranger who'll ever be kind to me. I wanted it to be gentle. You made it gentle."

I refused the money. "I can't take this." He insisted. "Please. I have nobody to leave it to. My kids don't talk to me. I have no friends left. You gave me three hours of kindness. That's worth more than $500 to me." He got out. Grabbed his small suitcase. Turned back. "What's your name?" "Marcus." "Thank you, Marcus. For being the last good thing." He walked into the hospital. I sat in my car. Sobbing. For an hour.

Couldn't stop thinking about him. Went back next day. Asked for him. "Mr. Patterson. Room 412." Brought flowers. Knocked. He was in bed. Smiled when he saw me. "Marcus. You came back." "Couldn't leave it like that. Are you okay?" "Dying. But I got to see my life last night. So yes. I'm okay." We talked for two hours. About his wife. His students. The kids who stopped calling. The life he lived.

I visited every day for two weeks. Brought coffee. Read him the news. Sat in silence sometimes. He told me everything. The regrets. The joys. The moments he'd relive. "I thought I'd die alone," he said one day. "But you're here. A stranger who became family in my last days. That's a gift." I held his hand. "You're not dying alone. Not anymore." He cried. "Thank you for seeing me. When I was invisible."

Mr. Patterson died on a Tuesday. 3:17 AM. I was there. Holding his hand. His last words: "Tell people. Tell them to look at strangers. Really look. Everyone's dying. Some faster than others. But we're all heading somewhere. Be kind on the way. You were kind. You saved my last days." He closed his eyes. Heart monitor flatlined. I stayed another hour. Couldn't let go. He died with someone. That mattered.

His funeral had six people. Me. Three nurses. A lawyer. One former student who saw the obituary. That's it. A man who taught for 43 years. Loved a woman for 52. Lived 81 years. Six people. I spoke. "Mr. Patterson taught me something in his last two weeks.

Every stranger is someone's whole world. Every Uber passenger has a story. Every person you pass is living and dying and hoping someone sees them. He paid me $500 to drive him through his life. But he gave me something worth more. The knowledge that kindness to strangers isn't extra. It's everything. Because we're all strangers. Until someone stops. Looks. Listens. Stays." I keep the $500 in my glove box. Never spent it. It's a reminder.

Every passenger might be taking their last ride. Every stranger might be saying their last goodbye. So I drive different now. I ask questions. I listen. I see people. Because of an old man who needed one last gentle night. And a stranger who stayed. Be that stranger. Please. Someone's taking their last ride tonight. Make it gentle.

"Quiet Moments, Loud Truths."
A forwarded post but worth sharing...

02/08/2026

01/25/2026

WEATHER ALERT: Due to the uncertainty of the roads with the rain and freezing temperatures throughout the night and tomorrow, MANNA will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26. Stay safe and warm! 🩵

01/23/2026

Winter Weather Alert: Stay Safe! ❄️

We’re expecting icy and cold conditions this weekend, which could affect road conditions on Monday. Please take a moment to check on your elderly neighbors to ensure they’re safe and have what they need.

Important: Due to potential hazardous road conditions, MANNA may not be able to deliver meals on Monday. We will keep you updated, but please plan accordingly and reach out to us if you need assistance.

Stay safe and warm! 💙

01/23/2026

Warming Centers and Warming

Salvation Army
114 North 11th Street, Gadsden
256-546-4673
Open daily until full

Gadsden Public Library - Main Branch
254 South College Street, Gadsden
256-549-4699
Open daily during normal business hours

Gadsden Public Library - Alabama City
2700 W. Meighan Blvd., Gadsden
256-549-4688
Open daily during normal business hours

The Freedom Center
1601 West Meighan Blvd., Gadsden
205-391-9761
Call number above for hours of operation

New Liberty Tabernacle of Praise
934 E. Broad Street, Gadsden
256-543-8260
Open daily and overnight with lunch from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Dynamic Outreach Ministries
2101 Broadway Avenue, Gadsden
256-390-5995
Open daily from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m.

Hokes Bluff Community Center
5891 Gilliland Street, Hokes Bluff
For access, call 256-492-2414
After 5 p.m., call 205-312-2515

Southside Community Center
2142 Highway 77, Southside
256-442-0105
Open daily from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Carnes Recreation Center
102 Case Avenue SE, Attalla
For access, call 256-538-3712. After 8 p.m., call 256-485-3276
Open daily from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m.

George Wallace Senior Center
407 Hollingsworth Park Drive, Glencoe
For access after 3 p.m., call 256-312-3061
Open daily from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Altoona Community Center
3680 Main Street, Altoona
For access, call 205-589-2311 or 205-359-9000.
Open daily from 6 p.m. until 7 a.m.

12/22/2025

"There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving,"
A Christmas Carol
Thank you to all of the "Christmas Angels" that made Christmas possible for some MANNA recipients. Thank you to RSVP of Etowah County and especially to Mr. & Mrs. Clause, AKA The Pondicks for dropping off all the gifts to be delivered! Merry Christmas from MANNA!