By Morgan Bryce
Editor
Members of Nature Made, manufactured at Opelika’s Pharmavite facility, are teaming up with the national nonprofit Feed the Children to provide food and aid to 800 local families May 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Frankie B. King Center in Auburn.
According to a Nature Made press release, “each participating family will receive a 25-pound box of shelf-stable food, a 15-pound box of essentials, including personal hygiene products and Nature Made children’s chewable multivitamins.” Pharmavite Communications Manager Grace Kang said they hope to address and meet the health needs of families on SNAP or other food-assistance programs during the event with the distribution of 10,000 bottles of vitamins.
“We find that many food-assistance programs, including SNAP, do not cover the cost of multivitamins. Those 10,000 bottles are not filled with leftover vitamins or ones soon to expire, we’re making it specifically for this event,” Kang said.
At least 100 volunteers from Pharmavite’s Opelika facility, along with Auburn University students and Feed the Children workers, will help help distribute items during the event. A registered dietician will be available to nutritional information and a community partner fair will be held to connect families to education, employment and health resources. Vouchers with assigned distribution pick-up times will be mailed in advance to prevent overcrowding.
In the second year of organizing this event together, Nature Made and Feed the Children’s goals and mission are the common elements of their successful partnership, according to Kang.
“A lot of these families are on limited income … and our goals of feeding children and meeting nutrient gaps just make our relationship unique and special. We both want to make a difference in the communities we serve,” Kang said.
For more information, visit www.feedthechildren.org or www.pharmavite.com. The center is located at 950 Shelton Mill Road.