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Montgomery announces $100,000 gift to Heart of Alabama Food Bank and city-run turkey giveaway with Walmart
Summary
Montgomery City announced a $100,000 contribution to the Heart of Alabama Food Bank and a city-run turkey giveaway at the Walmart on Anne Street to help families affected by recent SNAP disruptions; city officials said the donation and event aim to provide immediate holiday relief.
Montgomery announced a $100,000 contribution to the Heart of Alabama Food Bank and a city-run turkey giveaway at the Walmart on Anne Street, officials said Friday, measures the city described as immediate relief for families affected by recent SNAP disruptions.
An official identified at the event as Mayor Reid Ford said, "On behalf of the city of Montgomery, I'm proud to present a $100,000 contribution to the Heart of Alabama Food Bank." The official framed the gift as "not just a check" but "a commitment" to prevent hunger in the city and region.
The mayor's office also said it will host an inaugural turkey giveaway at the Walmart on Anne Street. The event will be a drive-through in which Walmart is donating "every single turkey, hundreds of them," and the city will limit distribution to one turkey per car, with additional small gifts from partners. The office clarified the giveaway is a city initiative and is not affiliated with the Heart of Alabama Food Bank.
Michael Coleman, identified at the event as a leader at the Heart of Alabama Food Bank, thanked the mayor and staff and said the donation "equates to 500,000 meals." Coleman said he had approached the mayor earlier about the food bank's concerns and that the funds would be used to serve "the most needy and the most vulnerable" amid added pressure from benefit delays.
City officials linked the announcements to recent federal disruptions in SNAP benefits, saying delays and cuts increased demand at local food assistance programs. The remarks at the Heart of Alabama Food Bank emphasized partnerships among the city, nonprofits and corporate donors to meet immediate needs during the holiday season.
Event organizers did not specify a calendar date for the turkey giveaway in their remarks; the mayor's office described it as "this Saturday" during the event. The food bank did not provide a breakdown of how it calculates the "500,000 meals" conversion during remarks.
The mayor's office and the Heart of Alabama Food Bank said the donation and giveaway are intended as short-term relief; officials did not announce long-term funding commitments or policy changes at the event.
