Alliance delivers to 109 families

By Melinda L. Lucas

With the help of a “generous” donor and multiple other contributions, the Christmas meal needs of 109 Albany and Moran families were met when the Albany Ministerial Alliance distributed its annual Christmas food baskets on Sunday, Dec. 22.

Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins said this week that the organization had originally planned for only 60 deliveries because that’s how many applications they had been given on the deadline day.

However, another 49 forms were discovered and turned in on Dec. 17, leaving only a few days to prepare.

“Brookshire’s was able to place a second order for food, and all basket requests were able to be fulfilled,” said Wilkins.

She added that the Nancy Smith Elementary School sixth grade leadership team members helped bring groceries to the Feed Store on Dec. 18, and sorted the non-perishable food items for the original 60 applications.

Alliance members then took care of the additional 49 families.

“Tim Trimble and two volunteers picked up the meat, rolls, and pies on Sunday before the delivery time, and brought them to the Feed Store,” said Wilkins.

The 109 food boxes were divided up into 12 delivery batches, but there were not that many groups to make the deliveries, according to Wilkins.

“We were short on volunteers to deliver this year, and most of them took two or three sets,” she explained. “All in all, we were still done within about an hour.”

Some of the recipients chose to pick up their baskets at various churches or at the Feed Store.

Thirty boxes were delivered in Moran, with the remaining 79 for Albany families.

The total amount for the food had not been determined at press time, but Alliance treasurer Carolyn Waller said contributions came in well this year, and with one especially generous gift, the Alliance would be able to cover all expenses and go into the new year with some surplus for emergency needs.