From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — YWCA Central Alabama’s “Building Communities, Bettering Lives” AmeriCorps program welcomed new members Sept. 3, 2019, for the 2019-20 program year. Men and women from Alabama and around the country participated in training Sept. 3-11 at the YWCA, 309 23rd Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203.
The new members began a year of full-time service benefiting the YWCA, its 14 nonprofit partner agencies and the community. Members will serve in areas such as volunteer engagement, social justice, domestic violence services, homelessness prevention, civic and environmental engagement, education, and empowerment.
In addition to YWCA programs, members will serve with: AlaQuest Collaborative for Education, Birmingham Education Foundation, BuildUp Ensley, Children’s Policy Council, College Admissions Made Possible, Girls, Inc., Junior Achievement, Legal Services of Alabama, One Roof, Pathways, Safehouse and Safe Shelby of Shelby County, Urban Ministry, YMCA Northeast Branch and YouthServe.
AmeriCorps Service Members 2019-2020
As part of their initial service, members will also mark the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance on Wednesday, Sept. 11, by serving at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, 107 Walter Davis Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209, from 9 a.m. to noon.
A national service initiative, AmeriCorps is for persons desiring to serve nationally and is now in its 25th year. Since 1994, more than 1 million AmeriCorps members have served over 1 billion hours nationally while leveraging millions of community volunteers. AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 members to serve each year. Members of YWCA Central Alabama AmeriCorps, now in its 11th program year, served nearly 60,000 hours in 2018-2019 to benefit Jefferson, Shelby, Blount and St. Clair counties.
More than 65 YWCA AmeriCorps alumni have also gone on to work within the YWCA and partner non-profit agencies. YWCA Central Alabama first partnered with AmeriCorps in 2009 through the Governor’s Office of Volunteer Services and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
AmeriCorps positions remain for the 2019-20 term. For information and details on how to apply, please contact Angela Scott Abdur-Rasheed at 205-322-9922 ext. 206 or americorps@ywcabham.org. For more information on the YWCA Central Alabama’s AmeriCorps program visit www.ywcabham.org/americorps.
YWCA Central Alabama is a United Way agency dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The YWCA provides child development programs for children of homeless and working poor families; safe, affordable housing; a broad array of domestic violence services; and social justice programs.
