Help ensure local children don’t go hungry during annual Secret Meals 5K in Huntsville
August 29, 2019
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Many children in Alabama rely heavily on free and reduced breakfasts and lunches five days a week. However, the weekend creates a nutritional gap leaving many children hungry when they return to school on Monday. Secret Meals fills the gap these children experience by discretely slipping vitamin-fortified and nutritional meals into their backpacks on Fridays.
Alabama Credit Union created the Secret Meals For Hungry Children program in 2008 with one goal in mind - decreasing the number of children in Alabama and Florida facing hunger over the weekend.
With one of the highest poverty rates in the country, 22 percent of both Alabama and Florida's children live below the poverty level. Approximately 2,500 students are receiving Secret Meals food packs across the state of Alabama and into Florida. By partnering with local food banks, the program is able to ensure hungry children have reliable access to nutritional food on the weekends. On average, it costs $140 per child to provide a year's worth of weekend food packs.
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 percent of every penny donated goes toward the purchase of food packs.
One way to help is to participate in the 7th Annual Secret Meals 5K Run/Walk in Huntsville. This year's race is Saturday, September 7, 2019 at 8:00am.
The race will take place at the Alabama Credit Union branch on the campus of UAH. Race participants (the first 150) will receive a t-shirt and a bag. The top 3 male and female winners will receive a prize.
While the race takes place, little ones can enjoy the Kid's Zone with activities and games. There will be refreshments and family-friendly activities at the finish line. Through September 6, the registration fee is $25. Day-of-race registration is $35.
Participants can pick up their packets on Friday, September 6 from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Alabama Credit Union's UAH branch, located at 851 John Wright Drive or you can get your packet on race day at 7:00am.
Race check-in begins at 7:00am on Saturday and ends promptly at 7:30am.