Pictured left to right: John McDaniel, Special Assistant to Congressman Dwight Evans; Congressman Dwight Evans; Donna Bullock, President and CEO of Project HOME; Jose Aguirre, Senior Manager, External Affairs of PECO; Michael Collins, Regional Broker Sales Manager of Cigna; Sue Daugherty, CEO of MANNA; Steve Fera, EVP, Public Affairs of Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross (IBX) returned as the presenting sponsor of MANNA’s annual Thanksgiving meal delivery tradition. Each year, MANNA staff and volunteers prepare, assemble, and deliver more than 4,000 fresh Thanksgiving dinners to MANNA clients and their families.
On Thanksgiving morning, IBX Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Steve Fera joined corporate, government, and MANNA leaders for a kickoff event at MANNA headquarters to thank the hundreds of volunteers who cook, pack, load, and drive the Thanksgiving meals to hundreds of clients. Each Thanksgiving meal includes turkey, classic sides, and a pie – enough to feed four people.
“MANNA uses food as medicine to improve health and empower people to improve their quality of life. And we’re proud to be with them every step of the way,” said Fera.
Year-round sponsorship and volunteerism
IBX is a long-term, year-round corporate sponsor of MANNA and a key community partner for the IBX Blue Crew associate volunteer program.
On November 26 and 17, nearly two dozen Blue Crew volunteers donated more than 60 hours to help prepare the Thanksgiving meals. In addition, nine volunteers helped bake pies for MANNA’s annual Pie in the Sky fundraiser.
In total in 2024, approximately 150 volunteers donated nearly 500 hours to support MANNA.
Philadelphia-based MANNA delivers healthy meals and provides nutritional counseling to seriously ill people in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.
