For more than a decade, the volunteers at Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry (TEAM) have guided their work with a phrase from the First Epistle of John: “Let us not love with words and speech, but actions and in truth.”
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. and Thursdays 5 to 7 p.m., a group of volunteers opens the doors at 88 Cedar Lane to those in need, providing food, clothing and other items as available. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit, multidenominational ministry aims to meet the needs of Trussville citizens and others in the surrounding area.
Those who walk through the door may be young, old, unemployed or raising grandchildren on only their Social Security check. They include families so in need that a little boy once refused a free toothbrush because he’d rather share with his brother so someone else can have it.
“We’ve had clients come into TEAM and stare at the floor and say, ‘I have never been in a place like this. I am always the one giving, but I just lost my job,’” said Louise Jensen, who heads the ministry’s board of volunteers.
Through the first three quarters of 2015, TEAM distributed an average of 460 grocery bags of food each month, serving 360 families, including 101 new families. That number increased through the holidays and early winter months, leaving shelves bare as 2016 begins.
Each year, families can come to TEAM once a month for nine months out of the year for food. They can pick up a bag of food for each member of their household they’ve registered with the ministry. Clothing assistance is also available twice a month, every month. And in some situations, utility assistance is provided to eligible Trussville citizens. Their annual clock started over on January 1.
“We have a barrage in January,” said Ann Forde, board secretary. “We really need the assistance of food drives.”
Next month, TEAM will partner with businesses and churches across Trussville to restock its food pantry for the annual “Love Your Neighbor Food Drive” with a large communitywide drop-off day Feb. 12 at First United Methodist Church Trussville.
The food drive, which also partners with local Boy Scout and Brownie troops as well as the local schools, has also helped inspire children to give.
“We have several young girls who were having birthday parties, and instead of receiving gifts they wanted their friends to bring food for TEAM,” Jensen said. “One girl has done this for the past two years.”
Another, an anonymous Brownie, left a note one day with her donation after helping out with her troop.
“After I went home from helping out, it was all I talked about, and it made me want to give away all my toys. So here are some of them, but I know you need so much more,” the girl wrote.
Jensen likes to point out, “You don’t have to go out of the country to serve. You can give to your local mission, which is TEAM.”
Tax-deductible donations can be dropped off at the TEAM building during its hours of operation or at its drop box in the carport.
In addition to the organizations that make up the TEAM board, the mission has ongoing relationships for donations with Kids Market and others, such as Publix on Old Springville Road, which donates its day-old baked goods each day TEAM is open.
Volunteers are always welcome, whether it be helping with major drives or working one of the five weekly two-hour time slots handing out food.
Forde, who has been volunteering for 11 years, currently schedules TEAM volunteers and says the work is rewarding.
“I didn’t know then how much time this would eventually take, but I don’t know what I’d do without it. It’s a lot of fun. I’m fortunate to work with a bunch of great people,” Forde said.
Individuals become eligible for TEAM assistance by living in an eligible area and by filling out a file during operating hours. For those seeking to be added to the list, TEAM encourages documentation for each family member (driver’s license, Social Security card, school ID or a birth certificate, etc.) to be provided to document the household members, as well as a utility bill as proof of address.
TEAM is comprised of board members from eight organizations: Clearbranch United Methodist Church, Deerfoot Baptist Church, Faith Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church Trussville, First Baptist Church Trussville, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Holy Infant of Prague Catholic Church and its newest partner, the McSweeney Foundation.
For more information about becoming eligible for assistance, volunteering or specific donation needs, call TEAM at 661-5039 during its hours of operation or visit its Facebook page: TEAM (Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry). Monetary donations may be mailed to TEAM., PO Box 632, Trussville, AL 35173.
