By: Marcy Minton—
Muncie, IN—Members of Altrusa International of Muncie, IN came together this club year to make a big impact on the Delaware County community. Projects benefited several non-profit organizations including Soup Kitchen of Muncie, A Better Way, YWCA, Department of Child Services, BY5 Early Childhood Initiative, and several Delaware County elementary schools.
A strong focus on literacy included volunteerism for BY5’s Kickoff to Kindergarten and Ready Set Read programs and the inception of five Little Free Libraries across Delaware County. The “take a book, return a book” Little Free Library system provides residents access to free books 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The libraries will be refilled regularly with books provided through membership book drives. The libraries are located at Muncie City Hall, Shaffer Chapel, The Unity Center, Delaware County Historical Society, and at a private residence in Selma that used to be a town library. Altrusa of Muncie also hosted the 30th annual 4th Grade Essay Contest with six winners from Delaware County schools answering the question “What would my world be like without books?”
Altrusans deliver blankets and backpacks filled with toiletries and books to the local Department of Child Services. Photo courtesy of Sarah Rhoades.
The club also sought to have an impact on children in our community. The Snack Attack program provided snack bags to food insecure children over long breaks from school. 1200 snack bags packed with kid friendly and filling snacks were distributed among three county elementary schools for winter and spring break. This program was awarded the Altrusa International District Six Mamie L. Bass Service Award at the 2017 Altrusa International District Six Conference. Additionally, the Backpacks and Blankets project benefited the local Department of Child Services. 165 new backpacks filled with toiletries and books were provided to DCS caseworkers to give to misplaced children to take their belongings to their next home, sending the message that Altrusans care and support these children that need it most. The project also included creating and donating over 30 blankets for children that stay with DCS overnight.
Altrusans attend the District Six Conference where they were awarded the Mamie L. Bass Service Award for the Snack Attack Program serving food to insecure children in Delaware County elementary schools. Photo courtesy of Sue Whitaker.
Lastly, the club provided 500 sack lunches to Soup Kitchen of Muncie as a takeaway for food insecure residents that come to the soup kitchen for a hot lunch and provided dinner and educational programs about Little Free Libraries and family nutrition to approximately 30 residents of A Better Way and the YWCA.
The 2017-2018 club year begins June 1, 2017. For more information about Altrusa International of Muncie or how to become a member, please visit www.facebook.com/MuncieAltrusa.
About Altrusa
Altrusa International of Muncie, IN is proud to be a member of Altrusa International, an international non-profit organization focused on community service established April 11, 1917 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Muncie club was chartered in 1925 and has been serving Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana for more than 90 years with a focus on literacy, women and children, and service.
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