Helping others can sometimes be a thankless task.

As far as a business venture, there usually aren’t huge profits to be made. And organizations created to help other people can sometimes be forgotten when priorities are being made.

That wasn’t the case last week, though, as two local organizations with admirable purposes were the ones receiving some help.

Head Start centers in Jemison and Maplesville each received donations of $800 worth of books. In addition, each student at the centers was provided a book to take home and keep.

The book drive was spearheaded by Rebecca Corley with Usborne Books.

“I think getting books into the hands of children is going to be the most important thing for their literacy,” Corley said. “It’s something I’m passionate about.”

And the children were certainly passionate about the books they were given.

Several local businesses donated the cause, including McKinnon Toyota Nissan, Clanton Kiwanis Club, Caton Fashion, Cornerstone Fitness and Wellness, Hull and Russell PC and MorLyn’s; and Usborne offers a 50-percent match for book donations.

At the other end of the spectrum from the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds served by Head Start are the men battling addiction at Turning Point Foundation in Thorsby.

That organization also received a boost last week, in the form of a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

The grant will help Turning Point open a computer lab that will allow its residents to build resumes and learn skills important for the careers they hope to have once they leave the foundation.

“We can do more: More training, resumes, more GED training,” said Tim Dean, administrator at Turning Point. “You get a guy and give them hope, but no job, it’s really tough. We want to take it a step further, with some onsite training, some research, with teaching people how to do a resume.”

Clanton Police Department has helped with the effort, donating surplus computer equipment and some time to help train the staff on the equipment.

Good for those who are helping Head Start and Turning Point do good things in Chilton County.