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Client
choice - individuals "shop" for the items they need, rather than receiving pre-filled, generic bags or boxes..
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Regular hours, 5 days a week
- Seniors participating in the Brown Bag program are served Monday and Tuesday mornings.
- Families and individuals seeking assistance are served Wednesday through Saturday
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Convenient
location where Opelika and Auburn meet
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Items available include pantry staples, perishable goods, frozen foods, fresh produce, cleaning products and personal care items.
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Food Bank Staff and community volunteers provide a welcoming, dignity enhancing and friendly intake procedure .
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Referrals are made to other community services and programs that may provide assistance to those who need additional help.
Among
our accomplishments in 2007:
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3,097
unduplicated households were served from January through
December
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A
total of 6,795 people received food assistance
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More
than 812,048 pounds of food was distributed at the Community
Market
- 527
seniors were provided with monthly supplementary groceries
through the Brown Bag Program
- 11
local community agencies referred people to the Community
Market for help
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23
organizations referred people to the Community Market for
assistance by using the pre-paid
voucher system of referral
Community Market Partners
This program is made possible through the support of local businesses,
churches, organizations, individuals and municipalities. Our Foundation
Donors included: Auburn Rotary Club, Auburn United Methodist Church,
City of Auburn, City of Opelika, Compass Bank, East Alabama Medical
Center, and the Wal-Mart Distribution Center.
Other
partners include:
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Brown
Bag Program: The Brown Bag Program provides supplementary
groceries to more than 400
seniors each month. For $100
annually, individuals, groups and businesses can underwrite the food
needs for a senior citizen through this program.
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Baby
Manna Program: A partnership with the Junior League of Lee
County ensures that our Baby Manna cupboards
are
stocked with baby food, formula, cereal, diapers and related items. Through
this effort, more than 750 infants—mainly those
whose ability to thrive is threatened, or those
with special dietary needs—were
assisted last year.
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Food
Stamp Office: A mutually beneficial partnership with the
Food Stamp
Office helps us help the less fortunate,
while decreasing the potential for abuse. The Food Stamp Office refers families
to the Community Market who are waiting
for their food
stamp application to be processed.
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Auburn
University’s Social
Work Department and the Nutrition and Food Science Department provide intern
and practicum students to work at the Community Market. These students gain
valuable experience
while helping to provide support to
the staff and volunteers.
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Diabetic
Educators from the East Alabama Medical Center provide
counseling and guidance for recipients
on making healthy food choices.
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Community
Volunteers are the bedrock of the Community Market. Volunteers give generously
of their time to stock shelves, to interview people who come for assistance,
to work in the warehouse,
and to serve as receptionists.
Financial Support: Community Market’s food is supplied by
the Food Bank. Food acquisition costs average $7,000 per month.
Overhead expenses for the program are covered by support from local
governments and organizations, and financial contributions from
individuals and churches are transformed into food for hungry people.
It is estimated that $15 provides a family with a month’s
supply of groceries and $8.50 provide a senior with a monthly supply
of food through the Brown Bag Program. Contributions can be mailed
to the Community Market at 375 Industry Drive, Auburn, AL 36832.
Volunteer
Opportunities: The Community Market welcomes volunteers!
Typically there are as many as ten volunteers each day who work
with the coordinator. All volunteers will go through an orientation
session, will be given written materials and instructions, and
will be placed according to interest and need. Volunteers play
a very important role in helping to maintain an atmosphere of dignity
and compassion and have the opportunity to help others in a concrete,
caring way.
Volunteer
work includes:
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Receptionist – greets
clients, answers the phone, does light filing, schedules
clients for
assistance
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Intake – interviews
clients to determine eligibility and need; fills out applications
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Pantry – helps
to keep pantry shelves well-stocked and organized; weighs
and bags food that clients have
selected
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Data
Entry – enters client information into the database
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Warehouse – helps
to maintain the storage area and assists with receiving product
Interested in volunteering? Call the Community Market at 334-749-8844.
How
to get help: If you have an emergency need
for food, call 334-749-8844 to make an appointment
for an interview. You will
need to bring the following things when you come to the
Community Market:
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