Food Bank Director: 'I Came Here With A Mountain To Climb'

Food is something that many people take for granted. But not Kim Damion.

She appreciates how much just one meal can mean for a family with hungry children, although she's never been unable to feed her family.

She appreciates the kindness of strangers, although she's never had to take a handout.

As Executive Director of Manna Food Center, Montgomery County's main food bank, she meets people every day who are struggling to feed their families.

"I would make a terrible used-car saleman," Damion said. "But it's very easy for me to go out and tell people this story. I can't sell something I don't believe in."

The Olney resident has worked for Manna for four years, coming from private industry to become the center's development director. Then a year and a half ago, she stepped into the executive director's role.

"For me, I have the best job in the world," she said. "It's easy for me to say that because I get to help people every day."

And help she does.

Each month at Manna's inconspicuous warehouse along Gaither Road, 3,300 families line up for a 70-lb box of food, which Damion says usually lasts three to five days.

Every year, the center distributes more than 3.3 million pounds  of food.

In fiscal 2010, more than 35,000 families and 100,000 individuals received food, from Manna.

And last year, Manna's new Smart Sacks program (a program that Damion championed) distributed nearly 50,000 backpacks full of food to elementary school kids who get reduced-price lunches so they could eat during the weekend.

"It's a big job," Damion said. "I came here with a mountain to climb."

But she has taken the challenge head-on, immersing herself in her work. She casually rattles off statistics about hunger on county, state and national levels as she strolls through Manna's cavernous warehouse that she knows like the back of her hand.

There are seven food distribution sites throughout the county, including Manna's headquarters in Gaithersburg—an acknowledgement that travel is often a barrier for people in need of food assistance.

And the lines at these sites are getting longer as the economy continues to struggle.

"The face of need and hunger has seen a shift," Damion said. "It was eye-opening when I met a client who used to be a donor."

There are now more "working poor," she said, adding that the center has made efforts to be as accommodating as possible.

"We have extended hours now and weekend hours," she said. "We'll continue to be responsive. If the need grows, we'll grow."

About one third of Manna's funding comes from Montgomery County, as well as some from the state and the cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg. The USDA also helps fund the center, but their donations have "seen a significant and drastic drop," Damion said.

The USDA donates commodities like canned vegetables and meats. But because of cutbacks to the wealthiest counties, Montgomery County will get no protein products for the balance of the year, Damion said.

That means no government turkey for Thanksgiving or ham for Christmas.

"I hope the community will help by bringing in turkies and hams," she said. "We don't have money to buy food. We have a pretty small budget for the work we do."

Donations are accepted at their Gaither Road headquarters, and instructions on how to organize a food drive are posted on their website.

Manna was founded in 1983. Since the center opened, it has distributed more than 36 million pounds of food to more than 2.3 million people.

And to Damion, each one of those people is important.

The most rewarding part of her job?

"The big hug and 'thank you' as they're leaving."