On Tuesday, September 26, the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) staff and Montgomery County Commissioners, along with students and staff from the Culinary Arts Institute at Montgomery County Community lent a helping hand at Manna on Main Street, a Lansdale-based nonprofit committed to ending hunger in the North Penn region by providing food, fulfilling social service and education needs, and conducting community outreach.

The VFTCB’s day of giving back coincided with the third annual Valley Forge Freedom from Hunger Food Drive, which runs through September 30.

The food drive, which takes place until this Saturday, is still accepting food and monetary donations to fulfill VFTCB’s goal of collecting 4,500 pounds of food. To date, the Freedom from Hunger Food Drive is at the half way mark of their donation goal.

To view a list of drop-off locations, or to make a monetary donation, visit www.valleyforge.org/hunger.

“There are only a few days remaining in the Freedom from Hunger Food Drive and at the moment we are roughly halfway to our 2017 collection goal,” said Ed Harris, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Chief Marketing Officer.

“Drop off locations are still collecting food through September 30 and monetary donations are greatly appreciated – even the smallest dollar amount can go a long way.”

The VFTCB staff and Montgomery County Commissioners worked alongside Manna on Main Street employees and students from the Culinary Arts Institute at Montgomery County Community College preparing Tuesday evening’s meal for Manna’s guests.

Under the direction of Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board President & CEO Mike Bowman, a former executive chef with 30+ years of hospitality experience, the kitchen team prepared a three-course meal for more than 100 of Manna on Main Street’s guests.

Dessert was generously donated by Demestia Baking Company, a local Lansdale baker, and Shake Shack King of Prussia.

“It is always a pleasure to have the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board staff go out into the community and interact with the wonderful families and individuals who live in Montgomery County,” said Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board President & CEO Mike Bowman.

“Yesterday we had the pleasure of working alongside several organizations who do wonderful things to support the neediest residents in Montco and we look forward to partnering with them again in the future.”

The VFTCB created the Valley Forge Freedom from Hunger Food Drive in 2015 when Pope Francis stayed in Montgomery County at the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. The VFTCB established the food drive as the county’s farewell “gift” to the Pontiff. Now in its third year, the drive continues to support the community through food and monetary donations.

As part of the Freedom from Hunger Food Drive, the VFTCB is again partnering with HealthSpark Foundation – a private, independent foundation providing support to organizations that serve the unmet health and human service needs of residents living in and organizations serving Montgomery County – and the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network – a coalition of hunger relief organizations working together to make healthy foods available to all communities in Montgomery County.