Donations to local food bank Manna have been abundant, but so has the demand.

On a recent Friday, 58 families were served, and 41 families were served over a threehour period on a recent Saturday. Seven of those 41 were first-time clients.

Numbers are up 25 percent from six months ago.

“The items that fly off the shelf the most are breakfast cereal, spaghetti sauce, canned meat, jams and jelly, and paper goods,” said Manna executive director Mike Mathews.

Manna workers are going full speed as they try to keep food on the tables of those in need during a holiday season when so many are feeling the pinch during tough economic times.

Thanksgiving donations were sufficient to fulfill the needs of the community.

“We had an amazing number of turkeys donated,” Mathews said.

Right before the holiday, he was a little worried. The new executive director asked others experienced with Manna where the needed turkeys were going to come from.

“I was told they just come. And they did,” he said.

Manna fed 506 families holiday dinners with turkeys or hams and all the trimmings. That came to 1,620 people, Mathews said.

The local Albertsons on Avenida de Los Arboles contributed 36 ham dinners for Thanksgiving, which included side dishes such as dressing, mashed potato mix and cranberry sauce.

“The value of the dinners was $1,800, which came from donations from the customers,” Mathews said.

Quick calculations put the dinners purchased by customers from the grocery store at $50 each.   An Albertsons manager said there will likely be an additional $1,600 to $1,700 from further donations for the holidays, which Manna will receive as food in late December, Mathew said.

But more donations are needed. Food is good. Money is even better, Mathews said. 

“If we get cash, we can go out and buy just what we need.”

At the rate Manna is drawing its inventory down, with people coming asking for food, Mathews is concerned about having enough in the coming months.   Food can be brought directly to Manna, south of Thousand Oaks Boulevard at 3020 Crescent Way, just west of Hampshire Road. The food bank must throw away food that’s past the expiration date, so check the dates when cleaning out cupboards.

Food drop-off times are: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays; and 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Fridays.

Checks may be made payable to Manna and mailed to P.O. Box 1114, Thousand Oaks, CA 91358.