“Now it’ll be even easier to donate to Secret Meals…just a few clicks, and you’re feeding another needy Alabama child,” said Alabama Credit Union President and CEO Steve Swofford. “And like everything else connected with Secret Meals, all of the work involved in creating the new Secret Meals website was donated, in this case by Agency|51 Advertising.”

Secret Meals is also preparing an all-new fundraising drive for the 2011-2012 school year. Secret Meals achieved its fundraising goal for the 2010-2011 school year thanks to generous outpourings of over $100,000 in donations. As a result, over 800 children received Secret Meals.

“But this upcoming school year will be far more difficult for Alabama’s least fortunate families,” said Swofford. “The devastation from tornados across Alabama has only made things worse. The number of schoolchildren needing assistance from this program will likely be far higher this school year. Fortunately, the number of children we feed is limited only by the donations we receive, and more people are pitching in every day.”

In the Secret Meals program, ACU partners with local food banks to provide packages of food that are “secretly” slipped into the backpacks of impoverished schoolchildren. All money raised for Secret Meals remains in the community, and, because Alabama Credit Union administers Secret Meals on a volunteer basis, 100% of the donated funds go toward buying food. Alabama Credit Union pays for the promotion of this program from its own funds.

ACU encourages people to help in four ways:

1. Contribute funding for a specific area. Each $120 donation feeds a hungry child on weekends for an entire school year.
2. Organize a fundraiser. ACU’s fundraisers will be happy to assist.
3. Encourage others to become involved. ACU will gladly provide presentation materials.
4. Circulate the web address secretmeals.org to your friends, co-workers and family.

“We’ve done a lot, but it’s not enough,” says Steve Swofford, president of Alabama Credit Union. “Thanks to the donations from people in our communities, Secret Meals will be able to help more hungry children.”

Alabama Credit Union is a full service, not-for-profit financial cooperative with assets of $360 million, current membership of 43,000, and 17 offices across Alabama. We serve persons who live, work, or attend school in Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Baldwin, Madison, Marshall, Cullman, Winston, Blount, Marion, Lamar, Walker and Hale counties. Members’ accounts are federally insured to at least $250,000 by NCUA and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government and additionally insured to $250,000 by Excess Share Insurance. Our web address is AlabamaCU.com

“We’re amazed, thrilled and humbled by these numbers,” said Steve Swofford, President of Alabama Credit Union, whose employees created Secret Meals as a way of bringing the Feeding America’s Backpack Program to Alabama. “Our goal for the school year that just ended was a minimum of 500 children served. We’re now able to feed 625 children, and that’s a big jump up.”

“Unfortunately, the rough economy continues to hurt Alabama’s families, and more children are falling below the poverty line every day. So we don’t have anything to really celebrate just yet, and we’re stepping up our drive to help the increasing number of Alabama’s children in need.”

Children identified by Secret Meals as being in need have found packages of food, prepared by local food banks, discreetly slipped into their backpacks. In the 2008-09 school year, Secret Meals served 18 students at a single elementary school; for 2009-10, that number leapt to 329 students at 20 elementary schools.

Funds donated to Secret Meals are held in a special account at ACU and withdrawn by the food banks, meaning 100 per cent of the donated funds are used exclusively to feed children—no administrative, promotional or delivery costs are deducted from this account. Alabama Credit Union pays for the promotion of this program from its own funds.

“Yes, we exceeded our Secret Meals fundraising goal, but that goal is just a baby step for us.” said Swofford. “Now that we know that the Secret Meals program really does help fight child hunger, we’re determined to raise enough donations to expand Secret Meals to as many Alabama schools as possible.”

ACU encourages people to help in four ways:

1. Contribute funding for a specific area. Each $120 donation feeds a hungry child on weekends for an entire school year.
2. Organize a fundraiser. ACU’s fundraisers will be happy to assist.
3. Encourage others to become involved. ACU will gladly provide presentation materials.
4. Circulate the web address secretmeals.org to your friends, co-workers and family.

“The more donations you help receive, the more children Secret Meals can feed,” says Steve Swofford, president of Alabama Credit Union. “It’ll be our little secret.”

Alabama Credit Union is a full service, not-for-profit financial cooperative with assets of $360 million, current membership of 43,000, and 17 offices across Alabama. We serve persons who live, work, or attend school in Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Baldwin, Madison, Marshall, Cullman, Winston, Blount, Marion, Lamar, Walker and Hale counties. Members’ accounts are federally insured to at least $250,000 by NCUA and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government and additionally insured to $250,000 by Excess Share Insurance. Our web address is AlabamaCU.com

“A student walked up to me, smiling ear to ear, holding up a can of Beanie Weanies that was in the backpack,” said one Englewood teacher. “That child told me, ‘I’m going to eat good this weekend!’”

“Our Secret Meals goal for the upcoming school year is a minimum of 500 children served,” said Steve Swofford, president of Alabama Credit Union, whose employees created Secret Meals as a way of bringing the Feeding America’s Backpack Program to Alabama. “We’re limited only by the amount of donations we receive.”

Alabama Credit Union guaranteed funding for Secret Meals for the 2009-10 school year, and partnered with the Food Bank of West Alabama and the Bay Area Food Bank. Donated funds are held in a special account at ACU and withdrawn by the food banks, meaning 100 per cent of the donated funds are used exclusively to feed children—no administrative, promotional or delivery costs are deducted from this account. Alabama Credit Union pays for the promotion of this program from its own funds.

ACU encourages people to help in four ways:

1. Contribute funding for a specific area. Each $120 donation feeds a hungry child on weekends for an entire school year.
2. Organize a fundraiser. ACU’s fundraisers will be happy to assist.
3. Encourage others to become involved. ACU will gladly provide presentation materials.
4. Circulate the web address secretmeals.org to your friends, co-workers and family.

“The more donations you help receive, the more children Secret Meals can feed,” says Steve Swofford, president of Alabama Credit Union. “It’ll be our little secret.”

Alabama Credit Union is a full service, not-for-profit financial cooperative with assets of $360 million, current membership of 43,000, and 17 offices across Alabama. We serve persons who live, work, or attend school in Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Baldwin, Madison, Marshall, Cullman, Winston, Blount, Marion, Lamar, Walker and Hale counties. Members’ accounts are federally insured to at least $250,000 by NCUA and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government and additionally insured to $250,000 by Excess Share Insurance. Our web address is AlabamaCU.com