Heroes Against Hunger Awards
Heroes Against Hunger Awards 2025 is Underway!
Manna Food Center’s Heroes Against Hunger Awards Reception honors leaders in our community who are making a difference in the fight against hunger.
Manna recognizes community champions in the fight against hunger in three categories – Individual Hero, Corporate Hero & Community Hero. The award winners, chosen by Manna’s Board of Directors, demonstrate a true passion for fighting hunger and feeding hope in Montgomery County.
Heroes Against Hunger 2025 Sponsorships
We invite you to join us as a sponsor, as sponsorships for Heroes Against Hunger 2025 are still available, and help make a long lasting impact in our community. Click here to view our Sponsorship Packet (PDF) and learn more about each level and the benefits you’ll receive.
Tickets Are Now Available for Purchase!
Join us on Tuesday, May 06, 2025 for our annual fundraiser and awards ceremony honoring three dedicated Heroes who fight hunger and feed hope in Montgomery County. Click here to buy your tickets and for additional event details. You don’t want to miss out on this special evening!
Meet Our 2025 Heroes!
Individual Hero – Sue O’Hara
Sue O’Hara has volunteered with Manna for 27 years (4,000+hours) and plans to continue as long as she physically can.
Working with Smart Sacks since 2008, Sue has partnered with neighbors, churches and Scout groups to provide weekend food to as many as 250 elementary schoolers per week, while also working in the warehouse and at several pop-up pantries.
She inspires her family and community every day with her commitment to the fight against hunger in Montgomery County.
Community Hero – Bethesda Central Farm Markets
Bethesda Central Farm Market is a vibrant community hub, hosting over 100 vendors year-round.
Owners Mitch and Debbie Berliner are passionate foodies driving food equity through partnerships with Manna Food Center. They secure donated produce and organize community fundraisers, amplifying local food access programs.
Their commitment ensures everyone has access to healthy, fresh food, making them a leader in fostering a more resilient and equitable community.
Corporate Hero – Holy Cross Health
Holy Cross Health addresses food insecurity as a critical barrier to health and well-being. Through community partnerships, education, and advocacy, they integrate food access into healthcare with initiatives like community gardens, farmers’ markets, and nutrition education. Their Food as Medicine program screens patients for food insecurity and connects them to resources and support.
Through collaborations with Manna and other key partners, Holy Cross Health supports access to nutritious food, fostering systemic change and building a healthier, more resilient community.
Check out some highlights from our 2024 event:
2024 Honorees
Community Hero:
The Upcounty Hub
The Upcounty Hub was founded with a philosophy centered on providing individuals and families with food and other essentials, without the need for documentation to prove necessity. They embrace the philosophy of “rising by lifting others,” uniting the community in the fight against food insecurity. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have served as a crucial lifeline for Northern Montgomery County, expanding services to hard-to-reach areas and providing culturally competent resources. With partnerships across food distribution organizations and collaborations with political and civic groups, they actively demonstrate dedication to ending hunger and supporting vulnerable populations.
Individual Hero:
Sabrina Matoff-Stepp
Sabrina Matoff-Stepp, an advocate against hunger since 2000, prioritized serving meals to homeless individuals in Washington D.C. and expanded her efforts to Montgomery County during the pandemic. Regularly volunteering at Manna Food Center’s Choice Market and Liberty Grove Methodist Church Food Pantry, she assists community members in accessing nutritious groceries with warmth and recognition. Sabrina’s commitment extends beyond direct service, actively participating in Manna’s Breaking Bread discussions and advocating for effective food insecurity programs and policies.
Corporate Hero:
Medstar Montgomery Medical Center
MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, a 138-bed non-profit medical center, provides high-quality, personalized care in a welcoming environment. Dedicated to community health, they offer advanced specialties and technologies not typically found at community hospitals. Staff host an annual Food and Funds Drive to gather donations to support Manna’s school-based programs. Additionally, they have historically donated fresh produce from their garden to support a locally sourced, nutritious supply of food for community members experiencing hunger.
2022 Honorees
Community Hero:
The Montgomery County Food Security Task Force
The Montgomery County Food Security Task Force was created in response to the pandemic and is composed of dedicated partners of the “food systems” world, government agencies, generous individual donors, and members of the not-for-profit community. The FSTF aims for a “whole community” approach to tackling hunger within Montgomery County. Through the coordination of funds allotted by Montgomery County and the private sector, the FSTF has guided investments into many branches of the food system, intending to address the Covid emergency and chart a course toward recovery.
Individual Hero:
Aman Shergill
Aman is a dedicated community activist and member of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation who has consistently demonstrated an unwavering willingness to serve families in Montgomery County. Through the preparation and delivery of meals, home delivery of food staples and produce, and weekly grab-and-go distributions powered by the efforts of her faith community, Aman has led the way for service to more than 600 Montgomery County families each week.
Corporate Hero:
Peterson Companies
Peterson Companies has been a dedicated partner with Manna Food Center for several years. Peterson has supported Manna by sponsoring Community Food Rescue events like our Food Recovery Week activities and conducting food and funds drives with local businesses around the county. The company is dedicated to ensuring healthy outcomes in Montgomery County, where their employees and business partners live and work.
2021 Honorees
Community Hero:
Rainbow Community Development Center
The Rainbow Community Development Center works tirelessly to promote food security in Montgomery County. Rainbow was one of the first organizations to sign up for Manna’s Community Food Rescue program. For the last 20 years, Rainbow has been providing weekly food support to neighbors in Montgomery County. When COVID-19 hit, they rose to the challenge, providing over 600,00 pounds of food to 20,000 individuals, and sharing an additional 325,000 pounds of food with 13 partner agencies.
Individual Hero:
Bruce Adams
Bruce Adams is the founder of the Bethesda Community Baseball Club. The Bethesda Community Baseball Club has collected over 60,000 tons of food for Manna Food Center in the last 10 years. Back in 2010, Adams initiated the “Feed The Hungry Challenge”. This challenge brings collegiate baseball players in Montgomery County together to collect food, donating over 30 tons of food in the last decade.
Corporate Hero:
Cigna
In 2020, Cigna employees went above and beyond to offer health screenings to participants at the grand opening of Manna’s market in the East County. Cigna has provided financial sponsorship for our Community Food Education programs, specifically Manny, our mobile kitchen. Their partnership allows us to offer hands-on cooking classes that encourage life-long healthy eating habits and engage new communities through pop-up pantries.
2019 Honorees
Community Hero:
Greater Washington Community Foundation
The Greater Washington Community Foundation was created to guide strategic philanthropy, provide leadership around important community needs, promote civic engagement, and inspire local giving. The core of this work is two-fold. It manages flexible, tax-smart giving funds, enabling donors to easily support their favorite causes here and around the world. The Community Foundation also mobilizes philanthropy to address pressing local needs, working toward its vision of building thriving communities across our region. Since its inception, The Community Foundation has galvanized the generosity of hundreds of individuals, families, and businesses to collectively give more than $1.2 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities.
Individual Hero:
Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller created the Sam & Harriett Miller Feed the Hungry Fund in 2004 in memory of his parents. At the time, the goal was to raise funds in support of Manna’s mission. He was Chairman of the board of Manna and was also a board member for six years. Beginning in 2014, Jeff, together with Jackie DeCarlo, had the idea of creating the Breaking Bread initiative, through Manna, and to apply the funds from the Miller Fund toward this initiative. The goal of Breaking Bread is to bring people from all across the spectrum in the county to discuss and find solutions for food insecurity and hunger in the county.
Corporate Hero:
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is committed to identifying and responding to priority health needs and outcomes for the people and communities we serve. The Adventist HealthCare Community Partnership Fund provided funding for organizations whose activities support our mission to improve the health and wellbeing of our community, especially for those that have poor access to care and poor health outcomes. Adventist HealthCare’s partnership with Manna helped support our work and healthier outcomes for the community we serve. In 2019, Manna received a $75,000 multi-year grant to support our expansion into East County.
