Funds needed to meet Chest goal
There is one month left in the annual Albany Chest campaign and many more contributions are needed in order to meet the 2018 fundraising goal of $42,000 set by the directors at the start of the campaign after they reviewed the submitted funding requests from over two dozen organizations.
Groups that applied for money from the Chest this year include 24 previous recipients and two new applicants. All of the requests were considered by the board.
Local residents are reminded that everyone is asked to give what they can, even if they cannot contribute large amounts.
“Even $5, $10, and $20 amounts help a lot,” board vice president Donnie Lucas said. “If everyone helps, the small donations really add up and make a big difference. The Chest continues to be a great way to support our community and the organizations who benefit our community so much.”
In each issue during the next few weeks, a brief look will be taken at two or three of the benefitting organizations in order to give prospective donors an idea of their activities.
ResourceCare ASPIRE
ASPIRE is the acronym for the After School Program Initiating Reinforcement in Education.
“The ASPIRE program is being offered within the Nancy Smith Elementary School, and currently 21 third and fourth graders are enrolled in the program,” said ResourceCare program director Mindy Ary. “Aspire focuses on completing homework with an emphasis on both an improvement in grades and in the child’s overall attitude about learning.”
The program is free to students and they are chosen by their teachers and counselors based on grades, test scores, and other barriers they might be facing at home, according to Ary.
The non-profit program has been in place for 24 years, and has requested $4,000 in funding from the Chest to cover 33 percent of their projected budget needs for 2019.
Neighbors in Need
Sam Burge and Blanca Sanchez are two of the regular volunteers at Neighbors in Need (NIN), a local outreach ministry that has been around for seven years.
“NIN was born from Closet Angels,” said Closet Angels director Lori Reames. “It provides for local, non-clothing needs.”
NIN does not receive other funding, and is not currently registered as a non-profit, according to Reames.
NIN accepts furniture in good condition, working large appliances, household and baby items, toys, electronics, books, movies, and electric heaters, and tries to connect the donated items with those most in need of the help. The items are offered to local needy families either for free, or for a small donation to help cover costs.
“NIN has blessed many families in our community,” said Sanchez. “Some of the money we have received has been used to buy window units, heaters, gift cards for groceries, and to pay utility bills in times of need.”
NIN did not specify a dollar amount in its request for funding.
Shackelford Library
The Shackelford County library was established in 1956 by the Albany Study Club which donated the books, and opened the public library in a vacant room in the Shackelford County courthouse.
Today the library is located at 402 N. 2nd St. and has expanded to include other resources as well as books. The library is used for various community activities including GED classes, senior activities, and children’s story time.
“These monies will enable the library to purchase and install five new Dell computers to replace aging computers,” said librarian Janna Ledbetter. “Computers are an important part of the library’s mission to offer a quality service for the patrons of Albany and the surrounding areas. These computers will also be used by students enrolled in the local GED classes.”
The non-profit has requested $3,600 this year.
The Albany Chest board traditionally waits to see how the money comes in before setting allocations.
The fundraising drive will end on Dec. 31 and board members hope to distribute checks to the organizations soon after the first of the year.
Contributions to the Chest can be given to Paige Adair at First National Bank or Keri Hebel at First Financial Bank, or they can be mailed to Albany Chest, PO Box 2019, Albany TX 76430.
