For Venita Jackson, Christmas joy came in the form of a Paw Patrol remote control car. “That’s the one thing my baby boy wanted, and I was so excited when I saw it,” she said. “This has been such a wonderful experience. It’s been a blessing.”
All Beuncka wants for Christmas is a stash of picture frames perfect for showcasing the gift she recently received: free family portraits she had made with her niece and nephew.
“I’m going to put them up all over my wall and make a scrapbook and put them in there,” she said. “I don’t have kids, so I look at my niece and nephew as my own. They’re my babies and these portraits are a real blessing.”
The night their father killed their mother, Andrea Humphries and Dana Jarrett found a strength they never knew they had. Despite their pain, the sisters are speaking out in hopes that victims of domestic violence and those who love them will learn from their experience.
“Domestic violence is serious, threats are serious,” Jarrett said. “We do not want anyone to experience the nightmare of living through this. We choose to share our story to help give others the courage to speak out against domestic violence and choose a better story than ours.”
Annetta Nunn, community outreach coordinator for the YWCA Central Alabama, keeps a collection of obituaries in her office to remind her of why her work is so important.
Each one represents the life of a woman killed by someone who had claimed to love her. The obituaries, complete with photos of the victims in happier times, are proof of the message that Nunn tries to share with anyone who will listen: Domestic violence happens everywhere.
There are lots of reasons Candice Powers is excited about her upcoming year of service with the YWCA Central Alabama’s “Building Communities, Bettering Lives” AmeriCorps program.
The school day starts as early as always, but the parents of some Woodlawn teenagers have noticed that getting their kids up and out the door in the morning isn’t as difficult as it used to be.
They credit the YWCA Central Alabama’s CREW (Creating Responsible Educated Working teens) program, which allows youth in the Woodlawn community the opportunity to gain work experience during the summer and participate in personal and professional development opportunities.
Children who participated in the YWCA Central Alabama’s Summer Adventures in Learning (SAIL) program were faced with a dilemma during these first few days of the new school year. When asked how they spent their summer vacation, they had a hard time narrowing down their answers.
As 10-year-old Isaiah listened to the story of “The Rough-Face Girl” by Rafe Martin, you could almost see the wheels turning in his mind.
Whether they were raising money to support the YWCA Central Alabama’s child development program for homeless children, convincing men to walk in red high heels to spread awareness about domestic violence or passing out prizes at the Fall Festival, members of the YW Junior Board made quite an impact during the 2014-15 term.
“These fabulous women have so much energy and drive, and we are fortunate that they are willing to share their talents with the YWCA,” said Yolanda Sullivan, CEO. “I am so grateful for this amazing group and for the passion they have for our mission.”