Pictured are (left, back to front) Ridge Raper, Matt Madden, Levi Crittenden. (right) Rowdy Elliott, Makayla Baker and Faith Jones.

By Nicole Burns for the FCT

The holiday season brings good cheer and a helpful hand to those who need it most. Students at Phil Campbell High School recently learned just how far their efforts help people escaping domestic violence.

Just before Thanksgiving, the PCHS Student Council kicked off its annual canned food drive as part of the school’s Best in Class competition. Best in Class is a way for each grade to compete for top prize but, more importantly, bragging rights. While some of these competitions are just for the fun of it, the food drive had a greater purpose.

“Safe Place has ten transition homes in six counties in North Alabama and a shelter in the Shoals area that are always full to capacity,” said Leah Heathcoat of Safe Place. This is the second year students donated canned food to Safe Place, although this year’s 986 cans of food raised blew away last year’s total by more than 100 cans.

“This is phenomenal,” said Heathcoat. “It is amazing for a high school to collect this many cans of food.” Seventh grade volunteers helped load boxes of food into Heathcoat’s vehicle when she arrived. There were so many cans, they had shove them in every nook and cranny available. “It makes me happy that we were able to get so much food,” said seventh grader Matt Madden.

“What you have done will feed many people for quite a while. Help like this makes it possible for women to leave situations of domestic violence without worrying about how they will feed their families,” said Heathcoat.

Safe Place is more than shelter for those who have already left a violent situation. It also offers advocacy, training, and preventative services.

People can learn more about Safe Place and the services it offers by visiting www.nwalsafeplace.org or calling 1-800-550-9215.