Herb Jackson was looking for ways to follow his passion and give back to his community when he joined YWCA Central Alabama's "Building Communities, Bettering Lives" AmeriCorps program a few years ago. Turns out, he found a new career.
After attending YWCA Central Alabama’s recent Health and Wellness Fair, one YW resident vowed to start cooking more instead of relying on packaged foods.
“I’ve gained a lot of weight since I stopped cooking regularly, and I know I’m eating too much sodium,” she said. “I don’t have an excuse, but I’m going to start doing better.”
That was exactly what organizers hoped would happen when planning the fair, which focused on physical, mental, spiritual and financial wellness.
The theme of the Ninth Annual Purse & Passion St. Clair County Luncheon was “A New Chapter” and the 425 guests gave generously to help domestic violence victims turn the page and begin new lives free from abuse.
Zadren Hill had been looking for summer job opportunities when he learned about YWCA Central Alabama’ CREW (Creating Responsible, Educated, Working teens) program. Although he was excited by the possibilities, he had no idea the impact it would have on his future.
“It helped me find my foundation,” said Zadren, who will begin his sophomore year at Woodlawn High School next week. “It was an amazing experience.”
A group of athletic coaches from Birmingham City Schools recently participated in a workshop to learn how they can help their players learn to respect women and have healthy relationships.
Annetta Nunn, community outreach coordinator for YWCA Central Alabama, led the “Coaching Boys Into Men” workshop, a program of Futures Without Violence. The California-based nonprofit works to end violence against women, children and families around the world.
Omedia Walker-Harris was scrolling through Facebook when she saw a post about YWCA Central Alabama’s vision assistant training program for single mothers. “I thought it was a good opportunity and I started to send it to a friend,” the single mother of four said. “Then I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I can do that.’ I’m so glad I did.”
As one of YWCA Central Alabama’s AmeriCorps members, Kenyata Tate knew she would be able to make a difference in the lives of those she served, but she had no idea the impact her two years of service would have on her own life.
After trying a number of different career paths, the 34-year-old mother of three realized that while she’d had success, she wasn’t fulfilled. Now equipped with an AmeriCorps education award and a newfound sense of direction, Tate is returning to school to pursue a degree in social work.
Students in YWCA Central Alabama’s Summer Adventures in Learning (SAIL) program are having a wild time at camp this year. They’ve seen tigers and African lions, fed goats, ridden on a train, gazed at a waterfall, and held chinchillas. And that was just in one day.
“I like this camp because it is so much fun,” said 9-year-old Khalilah, a rising fifth-grader. “I never want my mama to pick me up early!”
Despite the obvious differences among them, a sentiment of solidarity was most apparent as the students’ families anxiously waited for the reunion. Although it had been a long, trying week for the high school students at the remote campground, they were happy, inspired and, most importantly, hopeful.
Nearly 50 Methodist ministers and church leaders are better equipped to serve domestic violence victims in their congregations after participating in recent trainings to help them understand the complexities of the crime.
“Oftentimes, victims of domestic violence will reach out to their faith leaders before they talk to anyone else because they trust them,” said Annetta Nunn, community outreach coordinator for YWCA Central Alabama. “It’s important for clergy to know about the resources that are available and how to best help victims in their congregations.”