Americrown donates clothes to support relief

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Americrown Service Corporation, a food, beverage and merchandise company based in Daytona Beach, Fla., continued its support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts Saturday through the donation of more than $250,000 in clothing and merchandise to be distributed to families in South Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana who have been impacted from the disastrous storm.

Officials from Talladega Superspeedway traveled to Mobile to present the items to the Adventist Community Center in Mobile, Ala., a state warehouse used to aid all volunteer agencies in the state, including the American Red Cross. The donation includes 33,000 articles of clothing for men, women and youths.

Talladega Superspeedway, which along with Americrown is owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC), issued a company-wide call to action to help those who have been affected by the hurricane and its aftermath. ISC kicked off the effort through the commitment of $1 million in funding and services toward the Hurricane Katrina relief initiative.

As part of that commitment, Americrown delivered a kitchen convoy that included a mobile kitchen and food to Theodore, Ala. near Mobile last week. The two trailers, along with a team of six people, will allow from 250 to 500 meals to be served to members of Alabama's Department of Public Safety agencies and the Georgia State Patrol who are on site aiding in relief efforts throughout the Gulf Coast region.

"The stories unfolding each day that followed this disaster are heartbreaking. Many have suffered the ultimate loss of loved ones, and sadly in addition to that, many people have lost everything they own," Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch said.

"As I have said before, we are committed to helping our neighbors during this time of need, and we also encourage others -- within our company as well as in our respective communities - to do the same."

Americrown President Michael Gentry said this donation of clothing is simply another way his company has found to place its resources where they are presently most needed.

"We are fortunate to be in a position to provide some of the very things the people of that region need the most right now - - the basic human needs of food and clothing," Gentry said. "Our hope is that in helping meet at least these needs, they can focus on maintaining strength and building hope in the face of such adversity."