CULLMAN, Ala. – The summer feeding program in Cullman City Schools has been providing meals for hundreds of local children over the past two months, and all that hard work is fueled with the help of students themselves in volunteer roles.
Student volunteers from Cullman High School’s Student Government Association, the school marching band, as well as student athletes from the football, baseball, volleyball and girls’ and boys’ basketball teams have all signed up to send small groups of volunteers to help pack and disseminate meals.
Cullman High School Principal Kim Hall noted the Cullman City Schools’ Child Nutrition Program and staff have worked diligently to provide meals for students in our community through the summer feeding program, but with CNP staff busy prepping meal boxes, they needed additional help delivering them at the drive-thru pickup locations — and that’s where students jumped in to help.
“Our coaches and sponsors responded immediately and agreed to volunteer to serve our community and schools,” Hall said. “I am proud of our students, coaches and sponsors for committing themselves to volunteerism and service. They truly exemplify the mission of Cullman City Schools by demonstrating their commitment to character, citizenship and scholarship.”
Cullman High School athletic director Mark Stephens helped coordinate the various teams and organizations to keep the volunteer help flowing across the two food pickup sites on various days.
“We saw this as a great opportunity for our athletic teams and service organizations to get involved and give back to the community,” Stephens added. “Our community supports our extracurricular programs so well, and we always look for ways to give back.”
The summer feeding program provides a box of free meals for students on Tuesdays, with pickup sites at West Elementary School and Cullman High School. The pickup drive-thru sites are open from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The curbside meal packs include seven breakfast and seven lunch meals per child.
The program is federally funded and continues this summer as the USDA has extended the free breakfast and lunches program through the 2021-2022 school year. Meals are available to any child under the age of 18, though students must be in the car during pick up to receive the bagged meals. Children do not have to be Cullman City Schools students to participate.
