Hoover Helps to host fundraiser at Hoover-Spain Park game

Hoover Helps founder Greg Bishop is hoping some friendly competition will help make sure Hoover students aren't going hungry.

The organization, which partners with local businesses and religious organizations to provide weekend meals for food-insecure students, is holding its first fundraiser at Thursday's Hoover-Spain Park football game.

Hoover Helps will be asking Bucs and Jags fans to compete to see who will donate the most money. Bishop said there will be a table set up at the stadium entrance at the beginning of the game, and they will later move to two tables on either side of the field to accept donations. The tables will have illustrated thermometers that will be colored in to show how much has been raised.

Bishop is hoping to raise $1,000 per school, and he said he thinks they will get very close. All the proceeds will be used to fill backpacks with food. So far, Bishop said Hoover Helps has partnered local religious organizations with every elementary school to put together the backpacks. There are also partnerships for Brock's Gap Middle and Crossroads, and similar programs are in the works for the other middle schools.

Bishop said they will set up the Hoover Helps table around 6 p.m. on Thursday. To learn more about the organization, visit their Facebook page or read our previous coverage.