Guidelines for Referring Clients to Manna Food Center
Eligibility is determined by referral agencies before referring clients. We hope that agencies will work with clients to help them solve their underlying issues. Clients need a referral each time they come, must live or work in Montgomery County, and
must bring a picture ID.
Referrals are valid for the day requested. If clients find that they are unable to come the day they requested, clients should call Manna to reschedule. If clients do not call to reschedule and simply show up, we cannot guarantee we will have food for them to take home.
Same day referrals must be emailed, faxed, or called in before 10:00 AM that day. The referring agency should remind the client of the day and location the food is to be picked up. Download a referral form in Word format or .pdf format.
Referrals can be emailed to Manna at referral@mannafood.org or faxed to Manna at 301-294-7968. We prefer emails or faxes, especially if an agency has more than one referral. Please use the form (Download a referral form in Word format or .pdf format.) for faxes and emails. No cover sheet is required.
If required, referrals can be called in to 301-424-1130. If you get voice mail, please leave complete information, speak slowly, and spell names so no callback is required.
Whichever method you use to refer clients, please make sure to give us:
- Your name, agency, and contact number
- The client's first and last name.
Please spell the client's name slowly and clearly.
- Date and site of food pick-up
- The client's full address, including street and city
- Number of adults and number of children
- Confirmation that the client earns no more than $60,000 for a family of four or $26,000 for an individual
Please tell Manna if the client needs baby food and/or diapers. This must be requested at the time of referral.
Please inform Manna if someone other than the client will be picking up the food. Non-professionals must have the client's picture ID.
All Manna sites are closed on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas. In the event of inclement weather, call the Manna referral line at 301-424-1130. In general, we follow the Montgomery County Government. If Manna is closed, we will honor the referral the next day.
No shows create wasted food and wasted effort.
Please make sure the client:
- agrees on a convenient pick-up day and site location and knows the directions to the pick-up site
- understands the referral is good for one day only
- knows the food weighs on average 78 pounds
The food given out at satellite sites is the same food that is given out at our Rockville office. While the type and quantity of food will vary from day to day depending on the food donations Manna receives, each day's boxes have the same quality and quantity of food no matter where the food is picked up.
