HANCEVILLE, Ala. – For Hanceville area students in need, the community’s Knapsacks for Kids program is a very active ministry that helps ensure children have enough to eat. Members of the program committee, though, found that families–including those who did not qualify for the program through free/reduced school meal programs or other means–could still have very real needs for assistance due to unforeseen circumstances. For that reason, committee member Amy Gable founded Bulldog Pantry, an emergency supply service for families of Hanceville students.
Gable shared with The Tribune, “This is our third year having the pantry. We are an emergency service for families of the Hanceville school children. A lot of times families may not have a need for food stamps or to visit a local food bank when it’s open (but) later find themselves in a bind. They may have an unexpected visit to the doctor or car repairs that cuts the family’s paycheck short. Now they are in need of assistance. All they have to do is contact the school counselor and let her know they need help. She lets us know and we set up a time and day to meet.”
She continued, “The pantry was blessed in the way Knapsacks allows us to share a room with them at the Hanceville Civic center. This allows parents to meet us there to pick up food and hygiene supplies. No child wants the other children to see their parents leaving school with a box. To many, it’s embarrassing. They don’t see it as they should: the community pulling together to help one another. The saying is ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, in order for that to happen, everyone has to help one another. Not a handout but a hand up. We are here to let the families know there is help.”
Gable said the Bulldog Pantry serves up to 20 families per month.
“We serve anywhere from five to 20 families a month. I know five seems low. I had someone ask, ‘Why do it for just five?’ Well, that’s five families that aren’t hungry. Five families’ worth of children that aren’t hungry at school and distracted or acting out. Five families that may now help someone else in turn. When you receive help, you are more willing to help others.”
Bulldog Pantry gives boxes of goods containing varying amounts, depending on the size of each family.
According to Gable, “We try to make sure each box has vegetables, rice, beans, pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats, and when available, snacks. We also try to give toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste and bar soap. Everything we give depends on what we have had donated.”
Get involved!
Bulldog Pantry is accepting donations of grocery items including:
- Beans
- Canned fruit
- Canned meats (ham, tuna, chicken, etc.)
- Canned pasta (SpaghettiOs, etc.)
- Canned vegetables
- Cereal
- Cookies
- Cooking oil
- Corn meal
- Crackers
- Flour
- Jell-O
- Jelly
- Macaroni and cheese
- Pasta
- Pasta sauce
- Rice
- Soups
The group also accepts home cleaning and personal hygiene products including bar soap, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, toilet paper and toothpaste.
Said Gable, “We run purely off donations, so we accept anything people want to give.”
Those interested in donating can send a message through the Hanceville Knapsacks for Kids Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HancevilleKnapsacks/.
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