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Bama’s Feed The Needy by Mike Strong

   In this year of shutdowns and quarantines the needs of others are needed more than ever.
    Even though some Covid restrictions have been relaxed it was important the delivery of plates of Jambalaya was safe for customers. The drive through servise was super popular and kept from overloading the KC Hall with people.
   Bama’s Feed the Needy started when Tommy ‘Bama’ Aldridge, heard there were three needy families in the area that needed the basics,
especially food for Christmas.
   Bama grabbed his black iron pot and cooked a hen and andouille sauce piquante.
   He and a few friends raised $800 and they helped those families.
   I’ve written those words before but they are just as significant today as they were then and probably more.
   16 years later and Bama’s Feed the Needy has raised in excess of $300,000.00. What started out as a small group of guys getting together each year to cook and raise money has turned into an army of 40 good hearted souls that make Feed the Needy the success that it is today.
   In life we all take different paths and in this case all our paths merged on the good side of humanity. I couldn’t be prouder of Bama and the many friends from every walk of life joining together for such a tremendous and worthy cause.
   There are business owners, police officers, musicians and plant workers. Publisher’s, chef’s and bartenders. We have Veteran’s, family
members, politicians with old friends and new friends all gathering and donating their time and money to cook, sell or deliver Jambalaya plates across the parish to help feed the needy at Christmas and that is what we do every year.
   This year the total, as of press time of this magazine, raised $26,195.00 for the 2020 benefit.

   Here are some of the disbursements for 2021:

• 9 Area Schools (Needy Children) $7,200.00
• 5 Area Church’s (Food Banks / Community Outreach) $10,500.00
• Ode To Our Warriors (Veterans) $1,000.00
• Perry Aldridge Charities $1,000.00
• Each Day a New Beginning (Sober Living House) $1,000.00
• 17 Area Needy Families $8,500.00

All of this could never be possible without the continued support of our sponsors, loyal donors and our great team of volunteers.
   I want to extend a personal ‘Thank You’ to Bama for getting me involved. This event keeps me centered and on the right path and to all of the volunteers that participate. You are angels and doing God’s work. Also a special thanks goes out to the KC Council #2657.

Bless you all.

God Bless Willa Mae!

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