By Chanda Temple | City of Birmingham
David Dyer was so moved by Mayor Randall L. Woodfin’s press conference, asking local business leaders to help Birmingham SNAP recipients, that he donated $12,500 to the cause this week.
“That’s what we want to do. We want to give back and support the local community,” said Dyer, who is the founder and CEO of Harvest, a Birmingham medical waste management company. “I was just happy we were in a position to help out. It was a no brainer.”
Dyer has not been the only Birmingham small business owner to donate funds to help Birmingham residents who’ve temporarily lost SNAP benefits, due to the government shutdown. Those benefits stopped on Nov. 1.
Rashada LeRoy grew up watching her single mother work multiple jobs but still needing food stamps to feed the family, which consisted of Rashada and her older brother. Like Dyer, she wanted to help Birmingham residents. So, when she saw Birmingham business owners Keith Graham and Caitlyn Graham donate $5,000 to the cause on Monday, Nov. 3, she found her answer. On Wednesday, Nov. 5, her LRY company donated $4,000.
“I don’t know how long my mom received that assistance, but I know that it was vital for us to get that assistance when we were growing up,” said LeRoy, founder and CEO of LRY. “There are hardworking, Birmingham residents who need these benefits to survive, just like we did.”
The City of Birmingham has partnered with United Way of Central Alabama, Inc. to provide funding to supplement SNAP benefits for Birmingham residents. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Birmingham City Council voted to approve $1 million go toward the effort.
Said Mayor Woodfin: “Birmingham’s heartbeat is its people. And this week, you can hear it loud and clear.”
“I thank the businesses and people who’ve stepped into the gap for families needing them. That’s what makes this city so special,” Mayor Woodfin said. “We take care of each other.”
The city and United Way are currently working on a plan to make funding available to as many SNAP recipients as possible. A date has not been released yet on when city SNAP cards will be available, as certain steps are still being taken to finalize the distribution. When the date is confirmed, information will be shared with the public and on birminghamal.gov/bhamready.
All week, the city has partnered with Christian Service Mission and others to collect canned and boxed food items to help those in need. Today is the last day for food donations, which may be dropped off at Christian Service Mission, 3600 Third Ave. South, until 4 p.m. today. No food boxes are being given away this week at Christian Service Mission. However, people may visit birminghamal.gov/fooddrive for a list of locations giving away food.
On Saturday, Nov. 8, the city’s Park and Recreation department will partner with Miles College to collect canned and boxed goods at Legion Field during the Miles vs. Tuskegee University football game. Collections will be taken from 12 to 2 p.m. in front of the stadium in the area under the lion statues.
Game day gates will open at 12 p.m., and the game will start at 2 p.m.
