CULLMAN – Starting tomorrow, Jan. 21, the Cullman Caring for Kids United Way food bank will be open on Thursdays from 9 a.m. – noon in addition to its regular weekly schedule of Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. – noon and 1 – 3 p.m.
Cullman Caring for Kids Executive Director Javon Daniel says that steadily increasing need in the community is the reason behind the extended hours. The food bank’s board of directors voted for the extension.
“Since April of 2015 we have had over 550 families per month. In November of last year, we helped 624 families. We have talked about this for a few months, but the deciding factor was one day the first few days of November we helped 111 families in one day,” Daniel said.
Daniel said that the food bank hasn’t had one month since April of last year with less than 550 families served. The number of families steadily increased all through 2015.
“There is a huge need in Cullman that most of us are unaware of,” he said. “Many children go to bed hungry; they don’t have breakfast before school, a lot of the elderly on fixed incomes struggle to make ends meet with medical costs rising and utilities, so they turn to the food bank.That’s why we want to be more available to the community.”
The food bank serves families in Cullman County. Requirements are a valid photo ID for each adult in the home, proof of address, Social Security cards for each person in the home and SSI amount/Social Security notice (for fixed income families), pay check stub (for working families) or letter stating amount/reason for denial (for families on food stamps).
Cullman Caring for Kids is located at 402 Arnold St. NE Ste. W-1, next to the County Board of Education building, directly across the street from Hospital Discount Pharmacy. The food bank is in need of non-perishable food items or monetary donations. Items can be dropped off or checks mailed to Cullman Caring for Kids, P.O. Box 698, Cullman, AL 35056.
For more information, call 256-739-1111 or visit http://www.cullmancaringforkids.com/programs/unitedwayfoodbank.
