Thirst for Good: Supporting MANNA FoodBank in Western North Carolina
As Asheville’s original craft brewery, we’ve watched this region grow, and we’ve seen firsthand that Western North Carolina’s mountains hide a need that doesn’t always make the postcards: food insecurity. That’s why we’re proud to call MANNA FoodBank one of our longest-standing community partners through our Thirst for Good program.
In this post: what MANNA FoodBank does, how Highland Brewing supports MANNA’s mission, the story behind our Community Harvest Fruited Ale, the Hiking for Hunger campaign, and how you can get involved in the fight against hunger in WNC.
Who Is MANNA FoodBank?
MANNA FoodBank is a private, not-for-profit organization working to end hunger across 16 counties in Western North Carolina and the Qualla Boundary. Their mission is simple to say and hard to do: involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in our region.
MANNA isn’t a food pantry in the traditional sense — they’re the region’s central hub for the charitable food system. Instead of handing out groceries directly, MANNA sources, rescues, and distributes food in bulk to a network of more than 220 partner organizations across our mountains, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, schools, and county programs. More than 95% of the food MANNA moves passes through these partners before it reaches a neighbor’s table.
As one of the 200-plus regional food banks in the Feeding America network, MANNA plays its part in a mission that spans the entire country: uniting communities to end hunger, county by county, region by region.
How MANNA FoodBank Fights Hunger in WNC
Their work breaks down into three connected stages:
- Food Sourcing — Every day, MANNA collects food from farms, grocery stores, food companies, and government programs.
- Food Rescue — MANNA works with farmers and retailers to save fresh food that would otherwise go to waste, redirecting it to neighbors instead of landfills.
- Food Distribution — Volunteers and staff sort, pack, and prepare food at MANNA’s warehouse before it’s delivered across the region to the partner agencies who put it directly into people’s hands.
Today, MANNA helps provide food to more than 120,000 people facing food insecurity across Western North Carolina. That’s the scale of need in our own backyard — and it’s why supporting their work has been an easy call for us.
How Highland Brewing Supports MANNA FoodBank
Our partnership with MANNA runs through our Thirst for Good program, and it’s shown up in a few different ways over the years:
- Community Harvest Fruited Ale — In 2023, we brewed Community Harvest Fruited Ale as a special fundraising release, with proceeds going directly to MANNA.
- Food drives at our taprooms, where guests have donated canned goods and other essentials alongside their visit.
- Volunteer events that get our team and our customers directly involved in MANNA’s work, from sorting food at their warehouse to lending a hand at fundraising campaigns.
- Hiking for Hunger — In 2024, MANNA FoodBank employees Micah and Keeka Grant-Tomlinson partnered with local businesses, including Highland Brewing, to raise awareness and funds for food insecurity in Western North Carolina through long-distance thru-hikes. It’s one more example of the creative ways our community comes together behind MANNA’s mission.
We’re also proud that MANNA hosts an annual fundraising event at the Highland Event Center, bringing the community together in our space to raise both funds and awareness in the fight against hunger across WNC.
Why It Matters to Us
We make beer because we love this community, and we can’t separate one from the other. Supporting MANNA is one of the clearest ways we know to put that belief into action — because a stronger, more food-secure Western North Carolina is good for all of us.
Get Involved
Want to support MANNA’s mission alongside us? Learn more about their work, their partner network, and how to get involved at mannafoodbank.org.
