The mission of Manna is to empower individuals, strengthen families, collaborate with stakeholders to rebuild neighborhoods, and foster sustainable communities in Washington, DC by creating quality affordable housing for lower income families, by offering support and training to families both before and after they purchase their homes, and by engaging in community and economic development activities. The Community Organizing Area moves forward all of the Manna CDC’s goals, programs and projects through continued recruitment, capacity building and leadership development of Shaw residents and stakeholders. Community organizers and CDC staff accompany residents and other stakeholders through varying consciousness-raising, political education, strategic & action planning, skills building and networking activities so that they can effectively and democratically put forth the needs and voice of the CDC’s constituency. Manna CDC's progressive organizing values stem from the principles put forth by SNCC as well as other groups and people-led movements for justice and human rights that have occurred throughout the world.
There are two oragnizing initiatives within the Community Organizing Area: 1. Shaw Education for Action (SEA) is a committed group of Shaw women, men and youth who organize for social change and economic justice among lower income residents of the Shaw community; 2. The Shaw Equitable Development Initiative (SEDI), a project of the Manna Community Development Corporation (Manna CDC), is designed to reorient the development process of Shaw’s public land to be responsive to the community, including its long-time, low-income residents.