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Hunger hurts, especially during the holidays: Help MANNA FoodBank provide turkeys for families in need

October 23, 2007, ASHEVILLE, NC – It's sad, but true. Many families in Western North Carolina will not have enough to eat this holiday season. Friends, co-workers, employees, customers, and neighbors can join together to purchase as many turkeys as possible and bring them to MANNA FoodBank.

MANNA will distribute the turkeys through its 375 partner agencies in all 16 counties of Western North Carolina. MANNA's partners such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters will make sure that the turkeys get to deserving families who might not have a holiday turkey any other way.

Between November 3-November 19, bring turkeys to MANNA's food donation center at 623 Swannanoa River Road in Asheville (open Monday-Friday: 9 am-4pm, Saturday: 9 am-3 pm and until 8 pm on Thursdays) or to the Franklin Branch at 509 Depot Street, Franklin (Tuesday-Thursday: 9 am-2 pm). You can also bring turkeys to one of these special drop off days at an Ingles Market near you:

· November 3 – Ingles at 915 Merrimon Ave., 10 am-3 pm
· November 10 – Ingles at 1865 Hendersonville Road, 10 am-3 pm
· November 17 – Ingles at 140 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville or Ingles at 2299 US 70, Swannanoa, 10 am-3 pm

For donations of 12 or more turkeys, MANNA will arrange pick-up. Contact Joe Hannah at MANNA FoodBank, 828-299-3663 x237 or by email at jhannah@secondharvest.org.

About MANNA FoodBank
The mission of MANNA FoodBank is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. As a member of America's Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank Network, MANNA serves 375 non-profit member agencies in 16 Western North Carolina counties. Last year MANNA distributed 6 million pounds of food through its partner agencies. Learn more at www.mannafoodbank.org.

Turkey Drive 2007
Help fill empty plates this holiday season

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