Dear friends of Manna House,

As families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, the Manna House family is poised to acknowledge our Executive Director, Saleem Gauhar, for more than 30 years of service to the poor and homeless of Baltimore. Saleem has announced his retirement as Executive Director. In honor of his dedication to Manna House, several members of the Breakfast Club have established a $25,000 dollar-for-dollar matching gift fund in honor of his outstanding dedication and leadership.

Saleem became our Executive Director in 2011 after two decades of service. At that time, Manna House provided 53,000 meals, distributed clothing to 1,300 individuals and was the beneficiary of 2,200 volunteer hours. In fiscal year 2019, Manna house served over 72,000 meals, distributed clothing to over 2,500 individuals and received over 17,500 volunteer hours. The growth is real and the needs are significant.

Saleem started the Breakfast Club: a group of donors who make a $500 yearly donation, which provides breakfast for one day to the approximately 200 individuals who wait in line for a meal.

In addition to a hot meal, Manna House provides HIV and Hepatitis C testing, mental health and substance abuse referrals, transportation tokens, assistance with job placement for those who can work, case management and a drop-in-center that provides shelter during extreme hot and cold days for our clients.

In this season of giving, please join us in supporting the most vulnerable in our communities by honoring Saleem’s passionate dedication to the poor with the gift that will be matched, doubling its impact. (when making the gift, please indicate that it is in honor of Saleem.)

Thank you for all the support you have given over the years.

Dennis S. Cameron
President, Board of Directors