With the approach of the 2012-2013 school year, local businesses are again teaming up to ensure some undernourished children won't miss out on meals at home, once they've packed their bags and left school for the day.
The Secret Meals program, designed to send hungry kids home each day with extra food discreetly placed in their backpacks, aims to feed as many local children as donations will allow.
This year's Secret Meals donation drive begins August 6 and runs through 17 throughout the state.
On scheduled days during that period, two local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to the Secret Meals program, with the proceeds going to fund backpack meals for Cullman County children.
On August 7th and August 15th, Papa Murphy's pizza on Cherokee Avenue will honor the donations for any customer who orders a pizza at full price. Hours for the Papa Murphy's drive begin at 4 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. on each day.
Williams' BBQ on U.S. Highway 31 South will donate 10 percent of each customer's bill to the program for meals purchased between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on August 9, and again on August 16.
The Secret Meals program, begun by Alabama Credit Union in 2008, spends 100 percent of the funds it raises to purchase food packs. Program sponsors said it takes about $120 to supply a single child an additional daily meal through one school year.
The program is designed to address chronic hunger among Alabama children who, without supplemental nutrition, often receive their only healthy meal of each day at lunchtime when they visit the school cafeteria.
Because the program obtains food items in bulk through an arrangement with regional food banks, Secret Meals doesn't accept direct donations of food. Instead, individuals can fund the program through cash or check financial donations, or through payroll deduction.
The program also continually seeks volunteers and schools to enroll. To do either, call Alabama Credit Union at 888-817-2002 or email SecretMeals@AlabamaCU.com. Donors can also visit any Alabama Credit Union location or the program's website at www.SecretMeals.org.
*Benjamin Bullard can be reached by e-mail at bbullard@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.
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Cullman Alabama Credit Union employees Melanie Warren, Susan Keener and Tina Buchanan show off the meal packs that will be placed inside the backpacks of local school kids who need a nutritional boost when they go home each day. BENJAMIN BULLARD
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Local businesses team up for Secret Meals as school year begins
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