Community

Party in the Garden - Jones Valley Urban Farms Slow Food Fair

When: 
Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 2:00pm
Where: 
Jones Valley Urban Farms

Join Jones Valley Urban Farm and Slow Food Birmingham as we host the 3rd annual Slow Food Fair. Our "Party in the Garden" will include a variety of musical acts, delicious food samples, gardening workshops on the hour, and a mini Farmer's Market.


We are delighted to count the following restaurants as our Slow Food Fair partners: Bettola, Bottega, Bottletree, Brick & Tin, Cafe Dupont, Cantina, Food Studio B, Good People Brewing Company, Jim 'N Nick's, Kathy G, Morgan Creek Vineyards, Rojo, Salt Fine Catering, and Trattoria Centrale.

As a special treat, noted food writer and Southern Foodways Director, John T. Edge, will be our featured speaker. It is sure to be an unforgettable afternoon for the entire family whether you are touring the restaurant booths, sitting on hay bales and listening to music, hanging out in the shady grove participating in workshops, or shopping at the farmer's market on site.

Tickets are $20 and all proceeds benefit Jones Valley Urban Farm's education programs. Buy tickets online at www.jvuf.org or at the gate. In case of rain, we will move the event across the street to YMCA Youth Center.

Canoe the Cahaba or Little Cahaba River!

When: 
Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 9:00am
Where: 
Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge/Limestone Park Canoe Rental Co. in Bibb County

Come canoe with us on Saturday, May 22nd in Bibb County down a beautiful stream!

Depending on water levels, we plan to canoe either the Little Cahaba or Cahaba River. Cost is $20 unless you bring your own boat. To sign up and for more details, call the Freshwater Land Trust office at (205) 226-7900.

Please RSVP by Monday, May 17th to reserve your spot!

May Garden Party

When: 
Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 6:30pm
Where: 
North 32nd Street Community Garden

Come join Catalyst for Birmingham for our May Garden Party in Norwood's North 32nd Street Garden.


We are going to be celebrating with Good People beer and fresh cuisine from Jim N' Nicks, Jones Valley Urban Farm and local gardeners.

There will be a bocce ball tournament and other games too.

Come meet community gardeners and find out how you be part of Birmingham's fresh food movement through Catalyst.

This is a joint event with Catalyst, the Community Garden Coalition for Birmingham and Alabama Possible.

Desert Island Supply Co Funds Drive

When: 
Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 6:00pm
Where: 
Crestwood Coffee

Want to help the Desert Island Supply Co. mature from a loosely organized collection of passionate volunteers to a loosely organized collection of passionate volunteers with a budget?


Join us for our Kickstarter project launch party at the Crestwood Coffee Company on Thursday, May 13, 6-9 p.m. We will have appetizers, desserts and readings by DISCO students and local writers. Crestwood Coffee's regular menu items will also be available for purchase.

Put May 13 on your calendar and come help us get this fundraising project launched in style. We’re asking everyone to pitch in $10. We’ll pool that money to pledge to the project and then give away one of the project’s big rewards to a lucky supporter at the launch party.

Click HERE for more details! 

Spring a Ling a Ding Dong

When: 
Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 10:00am
Where: 
English Village

English Village and Continental Bakery are throwing a

Spring a Ling a Ding Dong!

Saturday, May 22nd from 10am until 4 pm


Our Second Annual Spring a Ling a Ding Dong! is a giant street party, a village carnival, an outdoor celebration of  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Come help the merchants of English Village usher out the old, and dance in the new.

Join us as we banish austerity and open our arms to joy.
Help us say Au revoir! to winter and Oui oui oui to Spring!
We want to have a party!!

    * Come witness the beheading of Marie Antoinette, and her miraculous transformation from a cold-hearted ruler of winter to a warm-hearted May Queen.
    * March in the Spring Parade as local marching bands lead 12 foot giant puppets through the Village .
    * Marvel at the beauty of the May Queen's sultry Spring maidens and join their wild dance around the Maypole.
    * Enjoy the dizzying gyrations of the Hula Hoop contest.
    * Test your strength in the bread toss.
    * Sample life at its fullest in the bustling open air street market.
    * Dazzle your friends in the costume contest.
    * And thrill your children with the oodles upon oodles of children's activities.
    * Low on cash? Fear not, all it will cost you is a smile.
    * Still not convinced? Call 870-5584 and bring your wildest dreams to life.
    * Come as you are, or as you please!

Wanna participate?  Call 205-870-5584 or email lalulu7@hotmail.com! 

An Offering of Letters Workshop

When: 
Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 9:00am
Where: 
Southside Baptist Church

Please register online to let us know you're coming! http://act.bread.org/site/Calendar/1628032203?view=Detail&id=102401

These are hard times. In Alabama, one in seven households struggles to put food on the table, and over one in seven kids is at risk of hunger. More and more families face impossible decisions about whether to pay for food, rent, utilities, or other basic necessities.

What can we do?


Year after year, Bread for the World members win far-reaching changes that address the root causes of hunger and poverty. This year will be no exception. Bread for the World’s 2010 Offering of Letters urges our nation’s decision makers to protect and strengthen our nation’s most effective anti-poverty program: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Combined with the Child Tax Credit, the EITC lifts 9.6 million people out of poverty every year, including 5 million children. In Alabama alone, the EITC helps more than 437,000 working families make ends meet.

But important improvements made to these programs under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama are due to expire this year. If these improvements are not extended or made permanent, more than 136,000 families in Alabama will see reductions in their EITC refunds alone.

Our task is simple: this year, we must raise our voices to ensure that working families have enough resources to eat and provide for their basic needs. And you’re invited to join us.

Register now for the 2010 Offering of Letters workshop in Birmingham on Saturday, May 1st.

At the workshop, you will:


- Participate in an interactive training and get ideas about how to conduct an Offering of Letters in your church, campus, or community group.

- Learn about how the EITC and Child Tax Credit lift working families out of hunger and poverty in Alabama and beyond.

- Connect with other people of faith who are answering God’s call to advocate for solutions to hunger.

Please visit www.bread.org/OL2010 to learn more about this year’s campaign.

Legal Issues of Interest for the LGBT Community

When: 
Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 7:00pm
Where: 
UAB Hill University Center Alumni Auditorium

Join us at this free event to learn about legal issues that may affect you and those you love! Everyone is welcome!


Topics for discussion include:

Adoption
Advance Health Care Directive or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
Dissolving Same-Sex relationships,
DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)
Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence - Restraining orders and protection from abuse
False arrests and entrapment
Hate Crimes
Permanency Planning
Power of Attorney (Financial & Property issues)
Wills

Presenting attorneys are Doug Akins, Jim Raper, Scott Holtham, Brooks Burdette and Rick Burgess.

Presented by The Alliance for LGBT Equality at UAB
(an organization of faculty and staff)


Co-sponsored by:

Equality Alabama,
Equality Alabama’s Youth Action Committee, and
Birmingham AIDS Outreach (BAO)


For information contact www.uab.edu/alliance

Alabama Possible Summit

When: 
Sunday, April 25, 2010 - 9:00am
Where: 
Samford University Hanna Center

We believe social justice is a key part of Christ’s teachings, and that by working together for systemic change, we can end poverty.


If you are with us, join us at the Alabama Possible Poverty, Faith and Social Justice Summit. You will:

• Experience worship with the Emergent Cohort and Daniel Bashta (Worship at Workplay):
• Listen to sermons from Wayne Flynt, best known as Alabama's Conscience, and Ron Pate, a Community Development Expert from Portland, Oregon
• Learn how to build relationships with those you serve.
• Experience a poverty simulation.
• Get connected with ministry opportunities to create a more just Alabama.

Be the change you wish to see. Register online: http://alabamapossible.org/rsvp


Have a small church or school group you want to register? Group registration deals available. Contact info@alabamapoverty.org for details.

For more details, including the full agenda, visit
http://alabamapossible.org/events/conference/

Science Uncorked

When: 
Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 6:00pm
Where: 
McWayne Science Center

Celebrate Earth Day with an after hours party at McWane Science Center.


Enjoy live music by Wild Sweet Orange, cool cocktails, and sizzling food. Ticket includes live music, IMAX film, food tastings, one drink ticket, and after hours admission to the museum. Reservations are required. Must be 21 and up to attend.

HIV Awareness Community Mixer

When: 
Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 5:30pm
Where: 
B & A Warehouse

This event will bring together all of the organizations that contribute to our community by providing opportunities to participate in social, sporting and cultural events so that we may increase awareness and support for the HIV Vaccine that is under development and now being tested at UAB.

Catering will be provided by B&A warehouse and there will be a cash bar. There will also be a D.J. and entertainment will be provided by our Special Guest OBSINITY and friends.

There is no cost to attend this event. Please make plans to join us for an evening of fun and entertainment!