Valley Kiwanis Club presents checks to Bread Basket Club, Sav-A-Life

Published 7:30 pm Thursday, August 2, 2018

By Wayne Clark
The Valley Times-News

VALLEY, Ala. — At Wednesday’s meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Valley, check presentations were made to representatives of the Bread Basket Club and Sav-A-Life, two local organizations supported by the club. Kathy Richardson, director of the Bread Basket Club, and Machelle Hall, who directs the Sav-A-Life office in Lanett, talked about what their organizations do.

The Bread Basket Club was started by a Project Leadership group in 1998 as a means of providing food for local people of retirement age. Presently, a total of 132 people in the 60 and older age group are enrolled in the Bread Basket Club.

“From January through July of this year, we have distributed 33,531 pounds of food at a cost of $4,572,” Richardson said. “This does not include the $2,087.50 cost of bread and eggs we purchased from Givorns.”

The food is distributed on the third Monday of the month in the family life center of Langdale Methodist Church. Earlier this year the distribution date was changed from the third Tuesday to the third Monday.

“We did this so our participants could receive fresh produce and other frozen products on the same day they are delivered to us,” Richardson said. “These products include cakes, pies, pastries and breads. In July we received Panera bread products. We changed the distribution date because we have to give out the food on the same day we receive it.”

The staple goods arrive pre-boxed.

“That saves us time and space,” Richardson said, “but it does cut down on the fellowship time the participants have with us and their friends. Thank you for your continued support for the Bread Basket Club. Our participants appreciate it, and so do I.”

Sav-A-Life helps not just women who face unplanned pregnancies, but also men and family members who may be affected.

“We offer free and confidential services and support,” Hall said. “As you may be aware, we are able to carry on this work because of the generous donations from individuals, churches, organizations and clubs like this one.”

Sav-A-Life is a 501(c)3 organization that does not receive any government funding.

Services provided to clients include:

  • Free pregnancy testing performed by registered nurses
  • Compassionate, non-judgmental peer counseling and medically accurate pregnancy options education
  • Limited ultrasounds performed by a nurse manager under the direction of Sav-A-Life’s medical director, Dr. Kim Owens
  • Earn While You Learn parenting classes, where clients receive education on pregnancy and infant care while earning material items such as car seats, cribs, pack and plays, diapers and other items needed in baby care
  • A Post-abortion healing program

“Our staff and volunteers provide each woman with educational materials while offering emotional support and care,” Hall said. “Sav-A-Life provides our clients with the resources they need in a time of crisis to empower them to make an informed decision about the future of their pregnancy and her family.”

From January through July 2018, Sav-A-Life in Lanett has had 520 client visits.

“Together, we are making a difference in the lives of women and men in our community who are facing unplanned pregnancies,” Hall said. “Thank you, Kiwanis Club members, for your financial partnership and prayers. You are appreciated.”

Sav-A-Life usually experiences a funding slump in the summer seasons, when many families are away on vacations.

“It usually picks up in the fall,” Hall said. “A lot of our young women have transportation issues. Some of them walk there, and some come with their parents. Our biggest age group is between 20 and 25.”

Hall said that most families prefer keeping children instead of giving them up for adoption.

In the case of dysfunctional families, adoption could be the better route if doing what’s best for child has the higher priority.

Hall speaks to many churches in the local area.

“After I’ve talked I hear so many family stories,” she said, adding that many of them are truly heartbreaking.