Young Demopolis sponsors food packets for students during pandemic; donations welcomed

When the Young Demopolis organization started Secret Meals last August, little did members realize how important their generosity would be eight months later when the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools.

Young Demopolis is made up of 50 or 60 professionals in the area from the age of 21 to 40. Last August, after working with Demopolis City Schools Supt. Kyle Kallhoff and the West Alabama Food Bank headquartered in Northport, the group began providing shelf-stable food on the weekends to 45 children who were identified as food insecure.

Beginning Wednesday that changed.

The school system no longer provides meals for its students. Young Demopolis has stepped up to sponsor some 250 meal packets to children from kindergarten through high school.

The meals were picked up from the Food Bank on Tuesday by Demopolis Fire/Rescue Department employee Nicolas Brown who lives in the Tuscaloosa area. On a first-come, first-served basis, families drove through Fire/Rescue Station 3 beginning at 10 a.m., while personnel wearing masks and gloves loaded the meals in vehicles.

Amy Jones of Demopolis, a member of the United Way board, helped coordinate the distribution that began today. She said the meal packets include two breakfasts, snacks, drinks and lunches as well as shelf-stable milk.

To sponsor a child for a year costs $140, said Hannah Winborne, president of Young Demopolis. When the group signed on to the program, it agreed to pay the West Alabama Food Bank $6,400 a year.

Now that it is providing more than the initial 45 meal packets each week, Winborne said all contributions to the program are welcomed. Checks or cash of any amount can be mailed or taken to the Mustard Seed, 101 W. Washington, Demopolis, AL 36732, or to Mason & Gardner CPA, P.O. Box 836, Demopolis, AL 36732.