Ending shacks in Alabama
Monday, October 17, 2016
For Immediate Release: Area Ministry Leader's Living in Shacks!
Organization: Alabama Rural Ministry
Beginning Wednesday October 19th, local church pastors and ministry leaders are uniting together in our 9th Annual "Sweet Homes for Alabama" aka "No more Shacks Campaign" with Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM). Lisa Pierce, director of ARM will live in a "shack" for up to seven days. Other local pastors and community leaders will commit to several hours in another shack next to Lisa's. Living in these shacks replicates the kinds of housing issues many of our elderly and those on fixed incomes face. Lisa and others will battle the potential elements families face on an ongoing basis. So, rain or shine, hot or cold, they will be there! The goal is to raise awareness about poverty housing in our local area and Alabama, provide efforts for people to volunteer to help repair homes, and to raise $77,000 which helps ARM repair these homes. The need is great as there are over 100 families who have called in requesting help in our local area. With a housing shortage of 90,000 units in Alabama and a declining housing stock with our elderly, the need is always great and before us.
The “shacks” will be located in front of the AU Wesley Foundation along Gay Street (across from Tiger Rags). Lisa and others will have information about poverty in Alabama and specifically Lee and Macon Counties. This is a children’s event as well. Kids who give a $5 donation or more will receive a paint brush and be able to “paint” part of the shack as a way to connect them with home repair and brighten the shack. They also get a free paint brush.
Other events happening in conjunction with Sweet Homes for Alabama:
ARM will be sponsoring lunch seminars with other organizations who will lead short sessions about poverty or other aspects of families in our community. These will be held on campus Wednesday Oct. 19th, Thursday Oct. 20th and again on Monday Oct. 24th in the AU Student Center 2109 from 12-1. We will hear from the East Alabama Literacy Coalition, By His Love Ministry, and Alabama Rural Ministry.
On Friday Oct. 21st beginning at 7:30pm college students will be converging on the shack site with cardboard boxes to create a box/slum city. For a $5 fee, they will sleep in these boxes overnight and help ARM with our goal.
ARM is a 501(c)3 faith based organization that serves families through home repair and children’s ministry. Each year we are able to repair 30-40 homes for families in our community. Most of the work includes roof repair, floor repair, and building handicap accessible features. The families served tend to be elderly, have a disability, or are single-parent units. Volunteers work alongside of the families to complete repairs. All donations are tax deductible.
For more information about The Shacks,the workshops, or to donate see our web site www.arm-al.org, email lisa@arm-al.org, or call (334) 501-4276. This link is a short 3 minute video about the event: https://t.co/l8DAT5uPuT
Help us make sweet homes for Alabama!