Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Elmore County Commission read two separate proclamations at their meeting earlier in the week.
The first proclamation the Commission addressed and read in was a proclamation naming September as Action Awareness Month.
The proclamation states that 11.6% of Elmore County residents are food insecure and the need to organize emergency food programs within the county is vital. While there are many within Elmore County, each plays a critical role in combating hunger at a local level.
The Heart of Alabama Food Bank helps service and provide food throughout Elmore County through numerous different agencies, where a number of individuals rely on food provided by the members of the Heart of Alabama Food Bank.
According to the proclamation, the Heart of Alabama Food Bank has provided approximately 980,000 meals annually. Helping to cultivate a community where everyone has access to quality nutritious food and creating a healthy and hunger-free environment for families, seniors, children and communities.
The Heart of Alabama Food Bank also partners with over 200 agencies, over 27 million pounds of food throughout 12 counties in the state of Alabama. They serve through a variety of programs, including programs in Elmore and Autauga Counties.
The second proclamation read in by the Elmore County Commission was in honor of GEAR UP Week, Sept. 23-27th, a program aimed at gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs.
GEAR UP is a federally- funded as well as competitive grant program, in partnership with Auburn University, designed to increase the number of low-income, minority and disadvantaged and their families from underserved communities. Many of which are the first generation to go to college.
The program is built around public-private partnerships and formidable resources of government, business and community groups in order to support low-income students as they prepare to enter and succeed in a postsecondary education and training beyond high school.
GEAR UP provides states and their partnerships to deliver support and resources to students and their families starting in seventh grade and continuing through high school and beyond.
In the state of Alabama, the program serves over 7,000 eighth grade students including students at Southside Middle School in Elmore County.
The Elmore County Commission stated they are committed to providing quality education for all students, helping them to achieve their highest potential.
