Students at University Place Elementary School are learning about community service through a project in which they provide food to those in need.
In conjunction with the nonprofit Wings of Grace Relief Center, the school has built a mini-pantry that they will stock with food once a week for people in the community. Built in the shape of a large birdhouse, the pantry stands in front of Wings of Grace’s building near the school at the corner of 18th Street and First Avenue.
“We wanted to do something that would help out the community and have impact on a few families,” said Brian Rose, assistant principal at University Place.
Rose said the project originated from the school’s desire to be more involved in community service and to help out people in the area. With Wings of Grace, which helps needy families by distributing clothes and food, Rose thought building the pantry would be a good opportunity to help out.
The students will restock the pantry every Friday. Rose said that particular day was settled on after brainstorming what the biggest impact would be for the pantry.
“I think the weekend is when some people may run out of food,” Rose said. “Maybe they don’t have the resources for this.”
Terri Hibbard, director of Wings of Grace, said she and her volunteers meet with more than 200 families per week who come to the center from across West Alabama looking for help. For Hibbard, the pantry will supplement what Wings of Grace does on a regular basis.
“It’s going to help supplement what we give and bring more people to the center as well,” Hibbard said. “We’re so blessed the Lord has given us so many donations that we can give away.”
Wings of Grace was started by Forest Lake Baptist Church in 2011 and has served thousands of people in the area, Hibbard said. She hopes University Place Elementary children will learn more about service through using the pantry.
“It is making them aware and how many people in the city need help and there are so many,” she said.
In 2014, an estimated 18 percent of the population in Tuscaloosa County did not have access to food due to a lack of resources, according to Feeding America. Across Alabama, 18.8 percent of the population was deprived of proper food resources.
“This is a good opportunity to engage with the level of need,” Rose said. “It gives us a chance to meet that need with food.”
Reach Drew Taylor at drew.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.
