June 4, 2007

CONTACT: Luke Brymer, Communications and Marketing, Wallace State
Community College, luke.brymer@wallacestate.edu, 256/352-8231



Wallace State Groups Participate in United Way's Day of Caring



HANCEVILLE, Ala.- The Medical Assistant Club at Wallace State Community
College in Hanceville collected supplies for the Cullman Food Bank
recently. The Medical Assistant Club was one of several Wallace State
groups sponsoring activities for the United Way Day of Caring last
month.


L-R: First row- Food Bank staff member Mitt Carpenter, and Jodie Kline
of Bremen, Medical Assistant Class President. Second row--Tabitha Baker
of Arley, Jeannie Nesmith of Vinemont, Food Bank director Javon Daniel,
and Wallace State Medical Assistant instructor Connie Allen.


"Needy families and individuals in our community go without proper food
every day due to a variety of factors," said Medical Assistant
instructor Connie Allen. "While all of us are susceptible to hard times,
children and the elderly are at the most risk, and they make up the
largest number of clients served. By our students participating in the
drive, they recognize that the activity improves their lives as well as
the lives of others in the area."

Javon Daniel, director of Cullman Caring for Kids and the Food Bank,
said the 1,000 perishable food items and $221.75 donated by the Medical
Assistant Club will help the Food Bank supply meals for families for
about a week.



"We are tickled to death to receive the items. Everything donated goes
to help someone," he said.



Daniel said that the center goes through about four to six tons of food
per week, which translates to about 140 tons of food per year. Each
family of three members gets between 20 and 25 pounds of food per week,
while a family of six or more gets about 45 pounds.



"We try to make the bags of food as nutritious as possible with items
like canned vegetables, soup and cereal," he said. We put any extras we
might have in the bags as well to add variety."

The Center is an emergency food bank intended to supply a family of
three with three meals a day for three days, Daniel said. Families may
come once each month. Some families he sees every month and some come
seasonally.



"We have greater need in the summer months when children are out of
school and parents have to provide the meals children normally get on
the meal program at school," he said.



He said they also have increased traffic at the first of the month when
many low income and elderly family members come to town to pay bills. In
fact, approximately 60 percent of their clients are elderly individuals
living on a fixed income.



Though the food bank has tightened its criteria, Daniel said, "We never
turn anyone away once." Since requiring proof of income, address,
number of family members, and application for food stamps, all according
to USDA guidelines, the number of families served has dropped slightly
but still numbers more than 450 each month.



Daniel said, "We are always in need of donations, especially this time
of year." When there isn't enough food to meet the demand, the center
purchases goods from the USDA food bank in Huntsville.



According to Allen, the Medical Assistant Club decided to make the Food
Bank its community service project this spring after hearing Daniel
speak about United Way agencies during the United Way fund raising
campaign last year. "He talked about the elderly woman who made a box
of macaroni and cheese last a month. We knew we had to do something to
help," she said.



After visiting the Food Bank, the group decided to extend its drive till
after graduation.



In addition to the donations of the Medical Assistant Club, Wallace
State's Learning Success Center collected art supplies for low-income
troop members in a local Girl Scout group, Phi Theta Kappa sponsored a
picnic for the staff of Hospice of Cullman County, and the Wallace State
Track Team hosted clients of the Cullman County Center for the
Developmentally Disabled for a Day of Champions.

2) IMG_9595: Food Bank volunteer Heath Braswell helps Wallace
State Medical Assistant Club representatives unload boxes of donated
food items.

2) IMG_9597: Wallace State Medical Assistant instructor Connie
Allen and Food Bank director Javon Daniel.

  Kristen Holmes
  Director, Communications and Marketing
  Wallace State Community College
  P.O. Box 2000
  Hanceville, AL 35077
  256/352-8118
  E-mail: Kristen.Holmes@WallaceState.edu