Alabama Credit Union created the Secret Meals for Hungry Children program in2008 with one goal in mind - decreasing the number of children facing hunger over the weekend. Many children rely heavily on free and reduced meals while at school. However, the weekends create a nutritional gap leaving many children hungry when they return to school on Monday. Secret Meals is able to fill this gap with the help of volunteers and donors. It cost approximately $140 to feed one child for an entire school year. To allow as many children to receive food packs as possible, Alabama Credit Union provides all promotional and operational funding for the Secret Meals program, meaning 100% of all donations goes towards the purchase of food packs. Secret Meals for Hungry Children is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making any contribution tax deductible. Click "Donate" in the top right corner to help feed a child today.
School officials identify the number of children in need each week and report those numbers to Secret Meals. Counselors, teachers, and cafeteria staff look for signs of children eating everything that is available early on in the week, hoarding food as the weekend approaches, and asking for additional food during the day. Students receiving food packs are kept anonymous from the organization and meals are secretly put into their backpacks on Friday afternoons.
Approximately 2,500 students living in Alabama and Northwest Florida are receiving Secret Meals food packs for the weekend. Each food pack contains two breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks. All items include pull-tab containers, straw-penetrating juice boxes, and bite-sized crackers. The items are child friendly and vitamin-fortified. Best of all, the food packs are 3.5 pounds and can be easily carried in their backpacks.
