CULLMAN, Ala. – Many children in Cullman rely heavily on free and reduced breakfasts and lunches five days a week; however, the weekend creates a nutritional gap leaving many children hungry when they return to school on Monday. Nonprofit Secret Meals for Hungry Children fills the gap these children experienceby discreetly slipping vitamin-fortified and nutritional meals into their backpacks on Fridays.
Alabama Credit Union created the Secret Meals for Hungry Children program in 2008 with one goal in mind—decreasing the number of children in Alabama and Florida facing hunger over the weekend.
Each year on the second Saturday in June, Mopar Clubs come together with Pentastar South Car Club to raise money for Secret Meals for Hungry Children with the Mopars by the Lake Car Show. The show was previously held at the Cullman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership, then at Depot Park once it outgrew the dealership lot. Now, the show is held at Sportsman Lake Park.
Brenda Allison with Pentastar South stated, “We have all seen the commercials asking to send a small monthly donation to adopt a child to feed in other countries. Well, that problem is also here in Cullman County. We have children that just come to school to eat. That’s where we come in. Pentastar South has adopted Secret Meals for Hungry Children because we want to be a small part in feeding our children on the weekend. As a teacher, I sadly see this every day at my school.”
This year the car show raised $4,000 and still has money coming in from donations. Allison said that the money raised at the show stays in Cullman County to feed local children. “Even though it’s a statewide thing and a lot of money goes in the same pot. That is one thing that we did request is that our money stays in Cullman County,” she explained.
Anyone who would like to donate to Secret Meals can do so at https://www.alabamacu.com/ or drop a check off at Alabama Credit Union at either the South or North branch. Allison shared, “If it were not for our major sponsors, Cullman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, Alabama Credit Union and Pepsi, the show would not be able to raise as much money as it does.”
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