Habitat will build a 4 bedroom home on Railroad Street in Phil Campbell.  Habitat's looking for volunteers through April 2012. Below is the tentative time line and Habitat is working on specific duties laid out by the week and not the day.  Keep in mind this schedule is somewhat flexible and allows for more to be accomplished in a shorter time frame – approximately 45 days.

March 12^th week **1^st week of General Volunteers** - Insulation, Siding, Sheetrock

March 19^th week – Finish Sheetrock, Painting

March 26^th week - **SPRING BREAK** week – Doors, Trim, Finish Elect. & Plumbing, Landscaping, Paint

April 2^nd week – Flooring, Shelving, punch list, etc.

If you would like to volunteer for the Phil Campbell Habitat build, please email the day(s) you are interested in volunteering, # of volunteers and contact information for individuals as well as groups to debryan4@gmail.com.  You can also contact David Cooper, Director, [Marion County] Habitat for Humanity at (205) 412-1626 to provide the above information or with questions.  Starting time may vary depending on the task for each day, this will be confirmed when we are made aware of the date(s) you are looking to volunteer.

Thank you for your support! 

Julie Schoening

State Emergency Mngt. Program Manager, Alabama

American Red Cross

South Area

(205) 907-9452 (c)

SchoeningJ@usa.redcross.org

President, Alabama VOAD

As you probably know, the latest round of tornados that hit Centerpoint, Clay, and Trussville were declared a FEMA disaster. It is imperative that all households affected by these storms register with FEMA. The deadline to register is April 2^nd.  See below for registration sites and more details:

Center Point City Hall
2209 Center Point Pkwy
Center Point, AL  35215

Clay Community Center
6413 Clay Palmerdale Road
Pinson, AL  35126

Oak Grove First Baptist Church
9161 Camp Oliver Road
Bessemer, AL  35023

If possible, before going to a disaster recovery center, people with storm losses should register with FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY, 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. Operators are multilingual, and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

People can also register by computer online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include grants for rental assistance and home repairs, low-interest loans from the SBA to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help recover from the effects of the disaster.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Kathy Holland

Project Coordinator/Office Manager

Community Planning and Initiatives

United Way of Central Alabama, Inc.   

3600 8th Avenue South                   

P. O. Box 320189

Birmingham, AL  35232-0189

phone:  205.458.2061

fax:  205.323.2872

email:  kholland@uwca.org

website:  www.uwca.org

Gilmer Urgent Care:

We have a new urgent care facility right in our back door!  Gilmer Urgent Care has recently opened to serve the Ensley and surrounding areas.  It’s located at 413 – 19^th Street.  Feel free to contact them at 205-547-2344 if you have any questions.  Their hours of operation are as follows:

Mon – Fri: 8am – 6pm

Sat – 9am – 1pm

Closed Sundays

Free Screening: Total cholesterol, glucase, blood pressure testing, body mass index, body fat analysis, pH balance.

No appointments required - Results in 5 minutes!

Bring family and friends
Gilmer Drug Company
413 19th Street
Birmingham, AL 35218
205 787-4671
Monday February 27, 2012
10:00am - 3:00pm

The LPGA Foundation is currently accepting scholarship applications from female high school seniors with golf experience.  The scholarships available are the Dinah Shore Scholarship, the Marilynn Smith Scholarship, and the Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship.

The Dinah Shore Scholarship is granted annually to a female high school senior who is pursuing a college education, but will not be playing collegiate golf.  This scholarship will be awarded to one (1) high school senior in the amount of $5,000.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

The Marilynn Smith Scholarship provides a scholarship to a female high school senior who has played golf in high school or in her community, and is planning to play golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. This scholarship will be awarded to ten (10) high school seniors in the amount of $5,000 each.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

The Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship provides a need-based scholarship to a female high school senior from a recognized minority background that will be pursuing a full-time course of study and playing collegiate golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. This scholarship will be awarded to one (1) high school student in the amount of $1,250.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

The deadline for all three scholarships is May 11, 2012.  This is a great opportunity for young women to get help with those college costs.  The application forms are attached which detail the criteria and additional information can also be found at www.lpgafoundation.org. 

For more information on how to apply for scholarships through The LPGA Foundation, call 386-274-6200.

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The Birmingham Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) has announced its scholarship program for 2012.  AABE is an organization of energy professionals dedicated to ensure the input of African Americans and other minorities into the discussion and development of energy policies, regulations, R&D technologies and environmental issues.  One of the purposes of AABE is to encourage minority students to pursue careers in energy-related fields and to provide scholarships for such students.

The AABE Birmingham Scholarship Program consists of two (2) distinct scholarship opportunities:

1)    The Premier Award of $5,000 is awarded to a high school senior with a GPA of 3.0 or better who demonstrates superior achievement and community involvement.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

2)    The Principal’s Choice Award of $750 is awarded to a high school senior with a GPA of 2.0 – 2.9 who exhibits potential for success in college.  Applicants for this award must be recommended by their attending school’s principal in the form of a letter to be submitted to AABE.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

AABE awards scholarships based on several traditional and non-traditional criteria.  Attached you will find an application and guidelines for each scholarship award.  Completed application packages must be received by March 2, 2012.

For more information on the 2012 AABE Scholarships,

contact Angela Juett at (205) 257-2270 or Jennefer Whisenhunt at (205)325-7675.

Saturday, March 3, 2012 at Embassy Suites, Hoover. Breakfast - 7:15am, conference - 8:30am. DOWNLOAD the flyer for more information.

Jefferson County Health Department is teaming with the United Way of Central Alabama to provide FREE dental care for children aged 5-16 in Jefferson County who DO NOT have dental coverage (including private insurance, Medicaid or All Kids).  Services will be offered at Central Dental Clinic (at the main JCDH location) on Friday February 10 and Friday February 24.  Please call Katie Dean at 205.458.2173 to schedule your child’s appointment.

En Espanol.

Christian Service Mission is committed to the restoration efforts after the January 23rd tornadoes.  We are currently collecting donations and redistributing them daily to the affected areas.

Follow the link for more information: STORM RELIEF VOLUNTEERING

Greetings Prayer Force United and Happy New Year!!!

Our 1st prayer walk of 2012 will be the annual Prayer Walk for our City Leaders at Linn Park downtown Birmingham.  Please see the attached flyer for event times and directions.

The article link below shows that homicides in Birmingham hit a historic low in 2011.  In addition the great service of the Birmingham Police Department and other organizations, offices, churches and ministries, we know that God is listening to our prayers for Birmingham and He is answering Mightily!!!

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/killings_in_birmingham_decreas.html

We look forward to seeing you on February 25th to pray a huge blessing over the leaders of our great city together!

Proverbs 11:11
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted

Blessing,

Eric Felty 

PFU Coordinator

On February 2, Governor Robert Bentley announced the creation of Hardest Hit Alabama (HHA), a new program providing $162 million for the prevention of foreclosure in Alabama.

Approximately $162 million was awarded to Alabama Housing Finance Authority to provide assistance targeted at Alabama's unemployed homeowners. The U.S. Department of Treasury's "Hardest Hit Fund" is authorized under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and is available in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

Eligible homeowners will receive assistance to pay their current mortgage payment and all other mortgage-related expenses, including payments on any subordinate liens, while unemployed. HHA will provide up to 12 monthly mortgage payments not to exceed $15,000, per household.

Alabama homeowners who receive unemployment compensation benefits may apply. To qualify, applicants must have a total annual household income of less than $75,740, and the unpaid principal balance on their home's mortgages must be less than $258,690.

The homeowner must currently occupy the property as their primary residence, and the home must be located in Alabama. Assistance will be available for single-family homes, attached or detached, and manufactured housing attached to real property.

HHA will be available statewide to qualified homeowners on a first-come, first-served basis.Visit the Treasury's website to learn more about the Hardest Hit Funds.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF FOR MORE INFORMATION.