Happy Halloween from your YW family! We had a spooktacular time celebrating at our annual Fall Festival, put on by the YW Junior Board and a host of volunteers. The gym was filled with little princesses, superheroes and ghosts who got a chance to dress up and enjoy a cake walk, football toss and several other activities.
Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church (VHUMC) recently visited YWCA Central Alabama’s housing program for its annual game night. VHUMC facilitated an exciting game of bingo and provided a taco buffet for dinner, dessert and prizes for the YWCA’s resident adults and children who participated.
“It was a wonderful night of fun and fellowship, and we are very lucky to have Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church’s support,” said Parrish Knorr, senior director of Housing for YWCA Central Alabama. “They have adopted this event each year and they make it special every time.”
America’s Service Commission (ASC) recognized YWCA Central Alabama’s “Building Communities, Bettering Lives” (BCBL) AmeriCorps program as the 2018 Outstanding Service Program. This award was given as part of ASC’s Innovation and Leadership Awards, an annual program held in the Washington, DC area to recognize the leadership and accomplishments of state service commission staff, commissioners, and service programs throughout the United States and its territories.
On Tuesday, September 4, 2018, YWCA Central Alabama’s “Building Communities, Bettering Lives” (BCBL) AmeriCorps program welcomed its 10th program year of new AmeriCorps members. Forty women and men from around the country have committed to take part in a year of full-time, direct service benefiting the YWCA and its 16 non-profit partner agencies throughout the community.
Employees of Coca-Cola United visited YWCA Central Alabama to give its Child Development Center (CDC) a little tender love and care. The group of 10 volunteers kicked off their visit with a tour of the center that houses Calico Corner, KIDS Korner and the YWCA’s After-School Enrichment Program for Homeless Children (ASEP). The YWCA’s nationally accredited CDC features several classrooms with varying designs based on the students’ needs, two playgrounds, an indoor play area and a learning kitchen that teaches students motor skills, self-sufficiency and independence.
Creating Responsible Educated Working Teens
CREW, also known as the Creating Responsible Educated Working Teens program, is a summer enrichment opportunity for Birmingham area teens. The YWCA of Central Alabama, in coordination with Woodlawn Foundation, PNC Bank, Protective Life, Charles and Estelle Campbell Foundation and Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation, annually conducts this program to provide Birmingham teens a positive option for how to fill their summer breaks.
YWCA Building Communities, Bettering Lives AmeriCorps program recognized the annual AmeriCorps members of the year and the inaugural AmeriCorps supervisors of the year. Voted on by AmeriCorps members and supervisors, the winners were: 
“Everything that I learned this week is something that I can take into the real world and really use,” said Anytown delegate Patrick Evans at the closing graduation ceremony. “And, I really appreciated how everyone was willing to work with us – we really all connected and it was an amazing experience.”
