Giving guide

by

March of Dimes 

Jill Everette

In the state of Alabama, one in six babies is born prematurely. In Jefferson County, one in five babies is born prematurely. 

March of Dimes is all about healthy babies, and as a part of that, I work as a family support specialist at UAB for people with children in the neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU). 

Some babies are there for weeks or months, so my role on a daily basis is to help it be the best situation it can be. Programs during the week provide educational information and activities, such as scrapbooking, to get the families out of their rooms a little bit. 

How You Can Give

March of Dimes welcomes gifts to support its NICU Family Support Program at UAB. Gifts can be made in memory of or in honor of loved ones. To give or get involved, call 824-0103 or visit marchofdimes.org/alabama/.

During the holidays, the organization also hosts a Thanksgiving lunch and “Cookies with Santa” for the NICU families, and volunteers are welcome to participate. Some people make blankets or hats to donate to the babies in the NICU as well. 

The Birmingham March for Babies will be held April 25, 2015, in downtown Birmingham, and other fundraising events are held throughout the year.

Norwood Resource Center

Betsy Smith   

We work together with the residents of Norwood to build community through gardens, fitness and other initiatives. Recently we held the Boulevard Blast 5K to be active and have fun with Norwood residents and the greater Birmingham community.

In our effort to address the food desert in Norwood and to help in education, the Norwood Resource Center has four gardens throughout the neighborhood where residents can grow fresh vegetables. One of the gardens is at Norwood Elementary School, and we sponsor and plan a summer program for the children where they can learn to become a junior master gardener as well as work on summer retention in other subjects. 

How You Can Give

The price per day for this summer gardening program for each student is $52. We would love for people to provide a day of learning for the students at the Norwood Learning Garden. Of course, any donation would be very much appreciated, and volunteer opportunities are also available. To learn more or to donate, visit norwoodresourcecenter.org or call 322-7361.

The Birmingham Zoo

Wally Nall

I grew up going to the zoo, like so many in our area, and have always thought of the zoo as a wonderful attraction for all ages and a great asset for Birmingham. I have served on the board of the zoo for almost eight years and have enjoyed working with the staff and getting to know more about the animals. Giving to the zoo benefits the animals, educates us about our world and helps our community by supporting this attraction that we all can enjoy.

How You Can Give

You can donate to specific programs at the zoo, such as a new North American black bear exhibit coming soon. To donate, you can visit birminghamzoo.com. Gifts can be given in memory or honor of a particular person, and through the Adopt-An-Animal program you can support one animal at the zoo for a year. 

You can also make any regular Amazon.com purchase through Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com), and 0.5 percent of eligible purchases go to the zoo at no cost to you. For more information, contact Karen Carroll at the development office of the zoo at 397-3856.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama

Tyler O’Connor  

I’ve been fortunate to watch some of our area kids progress in their school level reading, get productive summer jobs, and proudly enter colleges around the country through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama. Folks may not realize that the BGCCA’s work in our community dates back to 1901, making it the oldest Boys & Girls Club in the Southeast and the third oldest in the nation. 

Youth who attend the Clubs have a 100 percent graduation rate from high school, compared to the national average of 66 percent and the state average of 62 percent. Last year the BGCCA was able to serve and support over 9,000 children across its nine Clubs. Last year, the new Tom & Gean Cleckler Teen Center opened in Hueytown, and membership and programs experienced explosive growth. With more than 27 percent of Jefferson County teens living in poverty and knowing that over 25 percent of area 18-24-year-olds have no high school degree, I cannot think of a better place to address these troubling issues than the BGCCA.

How You Can Give

Contributions to the BGCCA — either personal or corporate — go directly to furthering academic, athletic and community service programs that develop healthy habits and young people of character. For more information, visit bgcca.org or call Kim Turner at 744-3070.

Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Rae Wade Timmier

I had a 1-year old baby when my husband and I moved here from Tuscaloosa, and I joined the orchestra’s then-Junior Women’s Committee in 1969. Lifelong friendships were formed through my volunteer work. Additionally, there was an opportunity to watch, from a very close personal view, the orchestra’s growth by serving on its executive committee off and on over the years. 

We are now a stronger organization, and our orchestra members and board members have the best relationship that I have known. Sitting in the audience with hundreds of other Birminghamians at the orchestra’s 2012 performance at Carnegie Hall was a great validation of the hard work of so many in the community who have come together to support this wonderful institution.

How You Can Give

Donations can be made specifically to support ASO education programs, including field trip concerts and in-school programs. At the holidays, a tribute gift in memory or honor of a loved one can honor music lovers. Many people take advantage of tax deductions by giving year-end gifts of stock. Giving tickets as gifts is another option. 

For those who want to be hands-on, two volunteer groups, the Symphony Volunteer Council and Symphony 30, work year-round to support the ASO. Information on these groups, as well as details on how to make a donation and purchase tickets, can be found on alabamasymphony.org or by calling 314-6977.

Camp Smile-A-Mile

Fred Elliott

I had several friends over the years who had been involved with Camp Smile-A-Mile and thought it was a great cause. However, I really had no idea until my niece, Rollins Wilkerson, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008. (She is now cancer free and doing great!) Being around Rollins and the other kids at Children’s Hospital, I was amazed at the courage and positive attitude they all had. 

When I was approached about becoming involved in Camp SAM by serving on the board, I immediately jumped at the chance and thought this would be a great way to help bring a smile to all these little heroes. No matter what they are facing, it is truly inspiring to see how they handle everything with a smile. Being able to be involved with a group that gives them time to forget about being a patient and just concentrate on being a kid has been a true highlight. 

How You Can Give

Arts and crafts are a large part of the camp’s programming, so Camp Smile-A-Mile welcomes donations of new, unused art supplies, canvases, scrapbook materials and gift cards to art supply stores, Walmart or Target. You can also donate directly to Camp Smile-A-Mile’s year-round programming online at campsam.org or by mail at P.O. Box 550155, Birmingham, AL 35255. For more information on getting involved at Camp Smile-A-Mile, call 323-8427.