BY HELEN MOESER

Special to The Pilot

As part of its corporate National Hunger Initiative, the Aberdeen Walmart is partnering with MANNA! (Moore Alliance for Nourishing Neighbors, Amen!) and its customers to help the hungry in Moore County.

Chris Bouldin, Walmart's store -manager, who is also a MANNA! Board of Trustees member, reports that store associates to date have -prepared and sold more than 1,500 lunch bags filled with nonperishable grocery items.

On the first and last week of each month, these lunch bags are available for Walmart customers to purchase for $5. The purchased bags are collected and donated to MANNA! The nonprofit organization delivers the bags to each of their seven lunch sites throughout Moore County. Walk-in guests are able to take one bag home along with their MANNA! free lunch.

John Roberts, MANNA! director, says that "this program is a way for Walmart associates, customers and a local nonprofit program to work together to fight hunger in our community."

In addition to the grocery bags, Walmart has a team of 12 associates that prepare MANNA! lunches on the third Thursday of each month. These lunches are served at the Jackson Hamlet site.

MANNA! has served more than 130,000 free lunches since it began in September 2005. More than 220 local volunteers from 12 partner churches and 15 community organizations are involved in fixing the 525 lunches served each week.

The nonprofit receives funding from grants, gifts from individuals and businesses, churches and -community organizations, and fundraising events.

The MANNA! In Motion 5K, 10K and Fun Run is set for Saturday, June 2, at Sandhills Community College. A part of the Sandhills Race Series, MANNA! In Motion is a certified and sanctioned race.

For more information about the race, runners may contact John Roberts, director, at manna.lunch@ gmail.com or call (910) 315-1150.