By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
United Fund of Atmore board members were joined last Thursday, October 6, by more than a dozen supporters, including several people who were “jailed” as part of the fundraising effort for the organization’s 2022-23 campaign.
Among the jailbirds present were Atmore District 4 City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Shawn Lassiter and Atmore Police Department Administrative Assistants Candace Wooten and Samantha Bennett.
Each of the three, along with Adonis Williams and Jennifer White, had their hands chained in front of them and were required to don a black-and-white-striped “convict’s shirt.” Each held a hand-written plea for help in raising the required $500 while their “mug shot” was taken in the makeshift jail of Atmore City Hall’s auditorium.
United Fund of Atmore President Andrew Garner said the organization was “at the point of evaluating our needs” in order to “orchestrate a successful campaign.”
Atmore Mayor Jim Staff and Escambia County Commissioner Brandon Smith (Lassiter’s first cousin) stopped by the event, each making a contribution to one or more of the “prisoners,” and several other community residents were also on hand.
Garner also noted that any agency or organization seeking consideration for UF funding during the coming year’s campaign must contact United Fund of Atmore at P.O. Drawer 823, Atmore, AL 36504 by October 28.
All request packets must include a budget reflecting the amount being requested and how it will be used, as well as a recent financial statement or other document showing the requester’s revenues and expenditures.
The packet should also include a general description of the agency or organization and the type of service or services it provides to the community. The description should include the number of citizens served and any of the requesting agency’s noteworthy services and/or accomplishments.
Finally, the request packet must include a list of names, addresses, phone numbers or email addresses of any member or the organization who will be available to actively participate in United Fund of Atmore’s fundraising effort.
Once the packets are received, they will be reviewed by the UF board and those deemed most eligible for help will be contacted to meet with UF board members for an interview that includes questions about the documents submitted with the request packet, as well as questions that will help provide a better understanding of the agency or organization’s needs.