Manna searches for new leader after Lee Anderson resigns

Lee Anderson, pictured last year outside St. John’s Episcopal Church in Northampton, has resigned as executive director at Manna Community Kitchen.

Lee Anderson, pictured last year outside St. John’s Episcopal Church in Northampton, has resigned as executive director at Manna Community Kitchen. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Staff Writer

Published: 01-04-2025 1:39 PM

NORTHAMPTON — After leading Manna Community Kitchen for the last eight years, Executive Director Lee Anderson stepped down in mid-December.

Anderson resigned from Manna on Dec. 18, according to Kaitlyn Ferrari, Manna’s development director who will be taking Anderson’s place as interim director. Manna provided more than 96,000 meals over the last year, according to Ferrari.

“He’s done great things for Manna,” Ferrari said about Anderson. “We wish him well and Manna is going to keep doing what it does best.”

Anderson said he was stepping back from his leadership role to spend with his family.

“I’m 55 years old, I’ve been doing this for 10-plus years, and we’ve done an amazing amount of work addressing food insecurity in our little community,” he said. “It just seemed like this was the time to step away.”

Anderson also said he felt comfortable leaving the organization in the hands of Ferrari and other board members, as well as the other organizations that have partnered with Manna over the years.

“Manna is such an important thing in my heart,” he said. “It’s not about me, it’s about what we were doing there. And I hope that just keeps going.”

In an announcement in its email newsletter, “The Community Connector,” the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce credited Anderson for his leadership in growing Manna.

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“Under his guidance, Manna introduced a drop-in center, launched a delivery program, and expanded their in-person meal service to include high-quality recipes to better serve our community,” the chamber wrote.

Manna’s hours and operations will continue as usual while a permanent replacement is sought, the Chamber said.

Anderson was named the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s 2024 Person of the Year last June for his role in transforming Manna by providing fresh food every day and maintaining a group of over 300 volunteers to help with services. Located at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Manna now only accepts donated food from nearby Smith College, allowing for high-quality vegetarian options.

Under Anderson, the kitchen produced 300 to 325 meals a day, 112 of which is set aside for the next day’s home delivery.

Other nonprofit services in the city, such as Tapestry and Hilltown Community Health Center, work with Manna to provide medical services. It has also worked with the city regarding the planned Resilience Hub, a mul tipurpose shelter and resource center planned to open next year.