CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Top News

Discussion

July 17, 2008

‘At the desperation point’ - Cullman Caring For Kids food bank running on empty

By Trent Moore

CULLMAN — By Trent Moore

trentm@cullmantimes.com



The Cullman Caring For Kids food bank is low — very low.

“We’re at a point where we need help,” Director Javon Daniel said. “We’re at the desperation point.”

The agency ideally tries to operate with a surplus — but Daniel said they are currently on the verge of running completely out of food.

“We try to keep enough to last two to three weeks, so if everything just shut down we could stay open,” he said. “But now, it seems everyday it just gets a little more desperate.”

Daniel attributed various factors to the shortage of incoming donations, namely the economy.

“The economy is a lot worse,” he said. “Fuel prices, gas prices, grocery prices and everything else is going up.”

In addition to economic issues, Daniel said the summer months are normally a slower period as far as donations and food drives are concerned.

“You’ve got people on vacation that normally donate monetarily or host food drives, but they aren’t here,” he said. “Schools also do food drives, but they’re not is session in the summer.”

A rise in senior citizens using the food bank has also started taking a toll on supply.

“We have a lot of seniors coming in now, because that few dollars they get per month stopped going as far as it did,” Daniel said. “Some of them are having to pick and choose — do I buy my medicine or buy food to survive?”

With more people than ever streaming through the doors at Cullman Caring For Kids seeking help, Daniel said with donations taking a dive it is becoming harder and harder to help everyone.

“We have more going out, but don’t have the donations coming in,” he said. “We’ve had seventeen new families in less than a week and we’re probably up to 500 families a month now. We help as many people as we can help. ”

Daniel said even the influx of donations from the recent postal carrier food drive in May has long since been depleted.

“What we received from the postal workers was great,” he said. “That was a pretty fair amount, but it’s long gone.”

Even with the situation looking dire, Daniel said his faith in the people of Cullman never wavers when it comes to giving support.

“Cullman folks have the most powerful sense of giving,” he said. “They always come through to meet the needs for those who are struggling.”

Anyone interested in donating can drop food off at the agency’s office on Arnold Street NE, or call 739-1111 for more information.

“If it’s just a can or two or a truckload, we take whatever we can get,” Daniel said.

The Cullman Caring For Kids food bank is a United Way agency, which distributes approximately 4-6 tons of food to local families per month. Food is distributed based on financial need.

Text Only
Top News
  • JUSTIN MARCELL BROWN Man charged with trafficking pot

    Suspicious traffic complaints to the Cullman Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET) from citizens about the area around Highway 91 in Colony led to the arrest of a local man Tuesday morning.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Two women injured in accident in Dodge City

    Two Cullman women were transported by separate helicopters to UAB Tuesday to receive medical treatment following a two-vehicle accident at Dodge City.

    February 7, 2012

  • CANDY RGB PHILLIPS.jpg Candy Phillips Thomas seeking probate judge seat

    Longtime public school teacher Candy Phillips Thomas has announced she will seek the Republican nomination for Cullman County probate judge in the March 13 primary election.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 3 arrested in connection with church burglaries

    Three people were arrested over the weekend in connection with a church burglary that took place at Seventh Street Baptist Church in June of last year.
    Eric McMillian turned himself into the Cullman Police Department Saturday and was charged with burglary and receiving stolen property according to officials. A female juvenile was also taken into custody.

    February 7, 2012

  • Hanceville church vandalized; 'Hail Satan' written in cross' place

    Hanceville Police are working on several leads to find out who vandalized Center Hill Baptist Church sometime between Thursday night and the early morning Friday.

    February 6, 2012

  • UPDATED: Woman injured over weekend dies; autopsy shows injuries consistent with fall

    A state forensics autopsy has concluded that a Cullman woman who died due to head trauma over the weekend, after being found unresponsive in the parking lot of her apartment complex Saturday morning, was likely caused by a fall.

    February 6, 2012

  • Drinkard Development Drinkard announces new retail development

    Retail in south Cullman is about to expand again, with the announcement of Drinkard Development’s new Willkommen Center.

    February 5, 2012 1 Photo

  • Public trust at stake in 2012 legislative session

    It’s tough to carry the momentum from an unprecedented wave of election-season support through a full term in office, especially in a year that will ask members of Alabama’s legislative class of 2010 — an effective Republican supermajority with built-in party consensus — to tackle some of the most challenging big-picture issues the state has faced in decades.

    February 5, 2012

  • Lawmakers look at harsh cuts, place hope on private sector growth Lawmakers look at harsh cuts, place hope on private sector growth

    Tuesday will mark the beginning of what is expected to be a trying, and likely contentious, journey through the murky pits of state funding procedures.

    February 5, 2012 1 Photo

  • Police investigate injury to Cullman woman

    Cullman police aren’t yet sure how a local woman, currently hospitalized, ended up lying unresponsive next to her car over the weekend, but they are cautiously treating the incident as though violence could have been involved.

    February 4, 2012