Alpha Center fights against food insecurity

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SIDNEY — Alpha Community Center hosts a meal every day in their facility at 330 E. Court St. in Sidney. They also offer programs to help adults rise out of poverty. Match Day gifts will help in both areas.

“We will be using our Match Day funding to continue the fight against food insecurity with our soup kitchen meals,” said Jan Geuy, executive director. “In addition, we continue to offer our Getting Ahead program to adults. This education curriculum helps our adults understand the reasons contributing to poverty, instability, homelessness and unemployment and gives concrete steps and ideas to get ahead by pulling away from these adverse conditions.”

Nearly 34,000 meals were served last year at the Alpha Community Center. They also offer after school programming to youth, an emergency pantry and rent and utility assistance.

“Our goal is not only to offer comfort and support to at risk people but to show them how to make meaningful change and that it’s possible,” said Geuy.

Getting Ahead classes are held once a week for ten-week periods. Participants look at their current situation, community issues and the resources they already have. They learn financial literacy, budgeting, goal-setting, managing situations and resume skills. The goal of the program is for participants to become employed or return to school or job training and build permanent resources. They strengthen their life skills by the time they graduate from Getting Ahead.

“The program works well for someone who wants to change their life circumstances, is willing to participate in the workshops, will partner with someone in the community and is not currently in a crisis situation,” said Geuy. “Match Day gifts help us help others get ahead.”

To support the Alpha Community Center on Match Day, gifts must be made payable to the Community Foundation of Shelby County with: Match/Alpha noted on the memo or in an accompanying note or form. Details and forms are available at the Community Foundation website at www.commfoun.com and at the Alpha Community Center. Gifts must be received on or before Nov. 27 to be eligible for up to $5,000 in matching money.

Participants in a recent Getting Ahead class are learning how to improve their circumstances. Match Day gifts will support the Getting Ahead program and meals at the Alpha Community Center in Sidney.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2018/11/web1_Alpha-Community-Center-Getting-Ahead-Program-First-Class.jpgParticipants in a recent Getting Ahead class are learning how to improve their circumstances. Match Day gifts will support the Getting Ahead program and meals at the Alpha Community Center in Sidney. Courtesy photo

What is Match Day?

The Community Foundation of Shelby County is repeating its Match Day event. On Nov. 27, the foundation will offer a total of $70,000 to 14 local charities that can each receive a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $5,000. The goal is to generate at least $140,000 in charitable dollars.

Participating organizations challenge their supporters to give to the Community Foundation and to earmark gifts for their charity. Gifts must be made payable to the Community Foundation of Shelby County and received by Nov. 27 to be eligible for the match.

The local foundation administers more than 180 charitable funds, including scholarship, donor advised, designated, organization and community granting funds. Match Day participating organizations were selected because of having a 501(c)(3) tax status and an organization fund within the foundation that had an asset balance exceeding the Foundation’s fund minimum. Gifts received will not be placed into an organization’s fund, but instead returned to the organization and put to work in the community.

Participating organizations are Alpha Community Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County, Compassionate Care of Shelby County, Historic Sidney Theatre, Operation Rebirth, S&H Products, Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County, Shelby County Arc, Shelby County Historical Society, Shelby County Libraries Foundation, Shelby County United Way, Sidney First United Methodist Church, Sidney-Shelby County YMCA and Wilma Valentine Childcare.

For details, go to www.commfoun.com and view Match Day information on the home page.

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