United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA)’s inCommunity program works directly with local schools, municipalities and partners to identify vitally needed services and create easily accessible collaborative solutions that strengthen families and neighborhoods.
The program received federal funding aimed at improving educational and developmental outcomes for children and youth through the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods Grant, which directly supports projects such as the Jasper Family Market.
As a partnership of UWCA, Jasper City Schools, Jasper’s First Baptist Church and Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, the Jasper Family Market is expanding access to nutritious food for Walker County residents. The partnership, facilitated in part by UWCA Community School Coordinator Jonah Barrett, is a direct reflection of the power of collaboration in bringing vital services into Central Alabama communities. On the third Thursday of each month, the market operates out of the Baptist Church, which is centrally located downtown and familiar to many local students and families. The church provides both space and volunteers to help with food distribution. School staff assist with outreach and logistics. Each family attending receives one food box, including shelf-stable items such as pasta, rice, peanut butter and canned goods, as well as fresh items such as fruit and meat. Families qualify simply by living in Walker County and having at least one child younger than 18. There are no income restrictions.
Meeting Needs Regardless of Challenges
Judi Wade is the site liaison at Jasper’s First Baptist Church. She’s been coordinating the effort since it began nearly a year ago, working to ensure that families’ needs are met regardless of the challenges they face. For families who do not own a vehicle, special exceptions can be made to facilitate food delivery. Wade has also worked to remove language barriers for Jasper’s Hispanic population by recruiting multiple Spanish-speaking volunteers. She said that the attitude of the volunteers makes all the difference for families facing hardship or have concerns about stigma. “We have people show up who work full-time jobs but just need a little extra help,” said Wade.
In Walker County, nearly half of Jasper City Schools’ students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a reflection of how many local families face challenges putting food on the table. School Superintendent Jonathan Allen volunteers at the Family Market each month to help address these challenges. “We needed a partner in the community to step up, and Jasper’s First Baptist jumped right in to help facilitate this effort,” said Allen. “It’s been transformational for our students and their families.”
Allen recognized that some parents may feel a sense of embarrassment when coming to the Family Market. “There are no questions and no judgement,” he said. “They simply complete the form, express their need and we meet that need.”
Fueling Compassion Through Service
Wade said that, when the Family Market first began, she was not yet fully aware of the needs of so many families in her own community. “I would speak to each family and ask what led them to the Family Market,” she said. “It’s made a huge impact on me personally; the compassion in my life has grown immensely.”
Having coordinated the Family Market for nearly a year, Wade reflected on the response of the Jasper community. “For whatever reason, sometimes people can feel like they are not enough when it comes to supporting their family,” she said. “All of us at some point in our lives will need help, and we want people to know that they are not being judged.”
Volunteers at the Family Market make sure to offer a friendly face and thank each family for coming. “We are so grateful to be a part of their lives,” said Wade. Supporting each other in times of need: that’s what a community does.
To learn more about how UWCA addresses hunger, click here.