Manna House helps local families ahead of Thanksgiving

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - With Thanksgiving right around the corner, inflation is that one annoying guest you’ll have to welcome to the table this year.

Director of Manna House, Fran Fluher says that the rise in food prices has caused a surge in the need for food assistance.

“They’re facing a lot of challenges just economically and they just can’t quite make it,” says Fluher “But they want to have Thanksgiving for their family too.”

According to the Farm Bureau, the total cost of the traditional ingredients is more than eighty dollars. That’s an increase of about 20% since last year.

Manna House’s needs assessment survey says 71% of people who were in line this year had a full-time job. That’s compared to 42 percent the year before.

That increase is part of the reason why some volunteers decided to help out for the holiday.

“As we go home and celebrate with our family, we have food on our table,” said Rosalie Thurman,” But these people that are coming through the line have no food.”

Local parent Ashli Lovelady believes organizations like these help put food on the table for this season.

“Food banks are very important- especially this time of the year. Me, I’m a single parent, and I have three children. I’m working a job right now, but it’s not paying very much and I got cut off from my food stamps. So you know, it’s good to be able to help the community right now. It’s a lot of single parents out here who don’t have help.”

According to Manna House’s website, it is open to everyone from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, Fluher says it is closed on Thanksgiving.

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