While most employees look forward to having a day off in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., the YWCA Central Alabama’s AmeriCorps members looked forward to a day ON, not a day off!
MLK Day was a national day of service for all members of AmeriCorps and the YWCA’s AmeriCorps members chose to further Dr. King’s dream through improving the YW’s residents’ patio by planting a garden, replacing dead colorless flowers with beautiful, vibrant ones. The residents’ patio is a quiet, peaceful area where women and children living at the YW can relax, play and congregate with one another.
AmeriCorps member Toya Howard headed up the gardening project. With the help of her fellow AmeriCorps members and Libby Rich, owner of Plant Odyssey, Toya’s vision became a reality! The once empty space is now a garden filled with seedlings of snapdragons, pansies and rosemary that will grow into beautiful thriving flowers. The new garden will certainly bring smiles to the faces of those we serve.
The AmeriCorps day of service did not end there. In addition to planting the garden, the YW’s AmeriCorps members attended the 22nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast put on by Operation New Birmingham and many other organizations and also volunteered at the McWane Center through the Hands on Birmingham MLK Day of Service.
Dr. King once said, “Anyone can make a difference because anyone can serve.” The YW would like to thank its AmeriCorps members for not only making a difference in the lives of those we serve, but for strengthening the YW’s vision of creating a more caring community. We would also like to thank Libby Rich for generously donating her technical expertise for the gardening project and for being such a great partner with the YWCA.
If you are interested in donating to one of the YW’s programs, please click here.
