Altrusa makes $2,500 donation for breakfasts

Monday, 19 March 2012 by Matthew Girard

Helping Hands Executive Director Rucker Preston (center) accepts a check from Altrusa members Ilene Miller (right), Jeanette Kelley and Charlene Tapman (far left).Numerous Belton Independent School District students who receive free/reduced breakfasts during the school year will still be able to get a nutritious breakfast during the Spring Break holiday as Altursa International of Temple donated $2,500 to Helping Hands Ministry to help purchase breakfast items for about 700 needy children.

"This is going to help a lot of students in the Belton School District who would have to be paying for their own kids' breakfast when they otherwise get it for free," Helping Hands Executive Director Rucker Preston said. "It's always a difficult week for them, so this is a great donation that Altrusa has given us."

Ilene Miller and Charlene Tapman of Altrusa organized the donation.

"We have worked, for several years, with Helping Hands through the Project Apple Tree program, but it came to our attention that there were a lot of children that were a part of the free lunch and breakfast program who probably didn't get a whole lot to eat during the school breaks," Miller said. "We are just happy to serve this many children and families."

The donation will fund the purchase of "Snack Sacks," which will contain five days' worth of breakfast items. Each day's breakfast will have a package of oatmeal, apple sauce, raisins and string cheese.

After Helping Hands purchased the food items, members of Altrusa are spending this week packing the "Snack Sacks" that will be distributed next week through Helping Hands.

Miller said the money for the donation came from Altrusa's annual Fashion Show.

"Our monies come from our Fashion Show in the fall for all of our projects throughout the year," Miller said. "We try to parcel it out to a number of organizations and groups that need help, and this was one thing that we had a lot of club support for."

Miller said she and the group were happy to help needy children.

"I believe that we are here for service and to help out others and this is one way we can do that," Miller said. "It's a really good way to help a lot of families. Our ladies love to be involved and they love to be a part of something that helps others."

Altrusa International of Temple seeks women and men of like mind to become Altrusans to develop ideas and to lead the community with projects tha make an impact on the quality of life for everyone.

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