Mobile Food Pantries Continue to Operate in New Ways
Operation Check Hunger is Recognized During ACTION! Week
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ACTION! Week is celebrated in late February each year to honor the birthday of Anne Banning, a founder of Assistance League. She created a legacy of giving back that endures more than a century later. This event seeks to raise awareness of the efforts of member volunteers across the country to improve the lives of children and families.
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Assistance League of Charlotte is committed to addressing food insecurity, especially as it impacts children in the community. Our program, Operation Check Hunger, partners with Second Harvest Food Bank to host eleven mobile food pantries throughout the year at three high-need CMS elementary schools—Merry Oaks, Billingsville and Tuckaseegee. Our most recent pantry was held at Tuckaseegee Elementary School and is being highlighted by National Assistance League as our local contribution to ACTION! Week philanthropic activities across the nation.
Mobile pantries are one-night events where families receive boxes of non-perishables, fresh produce, bread, meat and dairy. Families typically leave with 40-50 pounds of food. Member volunteers assist at this ongoing effort to fight hunger by providing food for up to 200 participating school families at each event. Procedures have been modified this year to be drive-through events with limited contact for safety during distribution.
Operation Check Hunger was established in 1993 as Assistance League of Charlotte’s first philanthropic program relieving hunger while improving classroom achievement of at-risk school children in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. From a modest beginning of feeding 400 children per day in one school, Operation Check Hunger has grown and changed to provide supplemental food for thousands of children and their families via weekly take-home backpacks, mobile and in-school food pantries, and protein donations.
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Spotlight on Community Business Connections |
We would like to recognize two businesses that have enabled Assistance League to reach more children and families in need in our community. One is a long-standing friend, the other is a new benefactor.
La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
Tipperary Sales, the family-owned operator of eight stores in the Southeast, adopted us in 2006 as one of their charity partners. During their semiannual trade-in program, our Thrift Shop receives tractor trailer loads of slightly used upholstery furniture, approximately 65-75 pieces, including some floor models. Over our 15 year partnership, we've received 2-5 deliveries per year. We also receive cash donations from their customers as the La-Z-Boy employees promote our programs during this event. The Tipperary Sales family and staff share the ALC mission of helping children and families, and have also made it possible to provide quality furniture to those in need at discount prices.
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Altar'd State
Altar’d State at SouthPark Mall is the newest business friend of Assistance League of Charlotte. We were selected to receive their Mission Monday funds from October 19, 2020 to January 31, 2021. Mission Monday is Altar’d State’s program that gives back 10% of net proceeds on Mondays to a local charity. We are grateful for their donation of $8,854.34 to support our efforts to address food insecurities, especially as it impacts children and their ability to learn.
We are grateful for our 2020-21 business connections, including those listed below. Together we hold the same values, create awareness of an issue and work toward a common goal. A win-win, additional funds provide every child an opportunity to succeed, and consumers prefer to support a business that is socially responsible.
Amazon Smile – since 2017, donating a percentage of purchases
Barnes and Noble – since 2017, supporting children's literacy
Copper Willow Salon & Spa – since 2020, benefiting children
Target Circle – since 2019, supporting community nonprofits
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Teens Helping Teens for a Quarter Century |
Mecklenburg County Teen Court, a program of Assistance League of Charlotte, celebrates 25 years of service to the community, with a positive impact on thousands of local teens. This alternative justice system focuses on accountability, positive peer influence, youth empowerment and involvement. Teen Court defendants and teen volunteers have contributed more than 150,000 hours of community and courtroom service since the program’s inception. The pandemic may have changed the way Teen Court operates, but the dedication and commitment from our teen attorney volunteers to help their peers has only strengthened. Here are some of their comments about the program:
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Cristian Ponce
While coronavirus has presented new challenges, I am grateful that the program is able to continue to serve the youth of our community. While we have had to adapt, working with masks and social distancing at the Assistance League Center, the program is still able to achieve its chief goal of enacting restorative justice. I also believe that we, as Teen Attorneys, are still able to connect in a meaningful way. There may even be a benefit to the current configuration, as we are afforded more one-on-one time with the youth that we serve. I look forward to continuing to volunteer and rising to the challenges to hopefully have a greater impact.”
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Olivia Abbinante
I've seen Teen Court change lives for the better, and I think that the way we adapted to the Covid situation so quickly and efficiently was a great representation of the hard and dedicated work all the volunteers have put into this program. I've never met a group of people more excited and passionate about teaching and helping our youth to grow past their mistakes and learn from them.”
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Transforming Lives • Strengthening Community |
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Assistance League of Charlotte | 704-525-5228
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