UA Tornado Service

Now that many more places in the U.S. have been hit by tornadoes, please think of them, as well.


Here are the latest snippets from UA:


For information on volunteer opportunities, please contact the UA Community Service Center, 346 Ferguson Center, at 348-2865 or http://www.volunteer.ua.edu/.


A big part of UA’s mission involves service. UA’s faculty, staff and students were there for the city of Tuscaloosa in the aftermath of April’s tornado. Click here to hear how one UA employee used her skills to service the needs of those in Tuscaloosa affected by the storm.

Backpack Meals for Displaced Students

Verner Elementary’s PTA is putting together backpack meals for students that have been displaced due to the April 27 storms. These students are living with their families in shelters, cars, and tents, as examples. Verner’s PTA has volunteered to organize these meals for up to 700 students through the end of the school year (12 more days). Many local organizations are helping provide food and labor, but you can also help by…

• ORGANIZING DONATIONS/PREPARING BAGS: Volunteers are needed Mon-Fri in the Verner Elementary gym 8:00-10:00 to organize donations and supervise students preparing the bags.
• DELIVERING MEALS: Volunteers are needed Mon-Fri to pick up meals from Verner and deliver to these schools: Southview Middle, MLK Elementary, Westlawn Middle, Stillman Heights Education Center and Skyland Elementary. Meals need to arrive at schools by 1:00. MLK and Skyland are large deliveries and two people are suggested for those routes.
• FOOD DONATIONS: Individual-size, easy-open containers, nothing that needs refrigeration. Our current needs list is vienna sausage; beans & weenies; spaghettios, ravioli, mac & cheese - any precooked prepackaged meal (the children eat them cold but love them!); milk (the type that does not need refrigeration until opened like Nesquick at Sam’s Club); fruit cups or canned fruit; plastic forks or spoons.

Deliveries and volunteers should come to the Verner Elementary School gym.


See the original post from Rebuild Tuscaloosa here

facebook.com/redcross

Alabama Baseball Tornado Relief Effort

I just received the following e-mail from Alabama Athletics:

Alabama Family,

This weekend the University of Alabama baseball team hosts LSU for a three game series beginning Friday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m. The weekend series will continue on Saturday, May 7, at 3 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, at 1 p.m.

In an effort to provide a temporary diversion for those touched by storm damage, displaced community members, first responders, and others that are crucial to the recovery effort are invited to attend the series free of charge. Food will be provided behind right field.

For the remainder of UA fans, admission will be free to all three baseball games with a donation. The Red Cross will have a cargo truck parked in front of Sewell-Thomas Stadium to receive donations.

Donation Needs:

• Comfort Kits - the kit contains deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissues, wash cloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor, and shaving cream.
• Clothing
• Baby items - diapers, formula, toys, bottles, wipes...

On game day, cash donations will be handled by the Red Cross and checks will be accepted for the UA Acts of Kindness Fund.

The University of Alabama Athletics Department would like to thank you for your contribution to our community in this time of need. We hope to see you this weekend at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Roll Tide!

Latest UA News Excerpts

Starting Saturday, May 7, all volunteers working in the recovery areas must be credentialed. Credentialing will occur at the McAbee Center, 3801 Loop Road, Tuscaloosa. Hours are Saturday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday through Friday: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Volunteer groups can go through an accelerated volunteer approval process by emailing volunteer@givetuscaloosa.com at least 24 hours in advance of their arrival. All individuals must register through the volunteer reception center. For more information, please visit http://www.givetuscaloosa.com/.

For information about College of Education relief efforts, click here.

The UA Community Service Center has a number of volunteer opportunities available (listed below). For more information, please contact Barbara Grimes at (205) 348-2865 or bgrimes@sa.ua.edu.

• City of Tuscaloosa volunteer hotline call center: through Friday, May 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shifts are 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
• Alabama Disability Advocacy Network support hotline for Tuscaloosa:  (attention nursing, social work and community health majors) Shifts are May 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Tutwiler Hall: sort donations today between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuscaloosa’s One Place, 867 Redmont Drive, Tuscaloosa: sort items for distribution and assist with other activities for the Alberta community
• Holt High School: help move one of the distribution sites from one location to another Saturday, May 7 starting at 9 a.m. For more information, call 553-5360.
• Compassion International: make phone calls this week from the Community Service Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• City of Tuscaloosa new warehouse for donations, 2505 Greensboro Ave.: Volunteers with credentials are needed each day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• UA Greek Relief: help package and deliver meals as well as unloading and sorting donations at the DKE House May 5 and 6

Other volunteer opportunities include the following:

• St. Mathias Episcopal Church, 2310 Skyland Blvd.: volunteer registration and assignment 
• Temporary Emergency Services, 15^th Street: sort and distribute donations
• Five Points Baptist Church, Northport (behind the Northport Civic Center): sort and distribute donations
• Rosedale Baptist Church, 2424 28^th St.: daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Samaritan’s Purse, First Baptist Church downtown Tuscaloosa: volunteer orientation daily at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

Support Request for Machinery Operation

I just received the following message from a good friend of my boss. I promise it is legitimate. This sounds like a great individual cause to support!

"My brother, William Bambarger, has been working in Tuscaloosa since last Thursday afternoon, going from house to house seeing what he can do to help everyone. He has a takeuchi track hoe (some kind of machine, I don't really know) that he uses to move trees, carports, etc. He has done this everyday except Tues. when it was raining, without asking for any pay in return. This machine uses diesel gas, but it takes a lot of money to run/operate it. 
 
"IF you would like to send William any amount of money to help cover his expenses, I would greatly appreciate it. My address is 8 Bariwayne Circle, Tuscaloosa, al 35405 or our mother's address is 6952 Mesopotamia St., Eutaw, AL 35462 THANK YOU!"

Kentucky Drop-Off Site

Rich Pond Baptist Church in Bowling Green, KY
270-535-0351
First load will be taken down this Friday (5/6)
Second load goes down 5/21

Donation Site for Tuscaloosa Schools

Many students in the Tuscaloosa area have lost everything and need materials for school. If you are interested in donating to Tuscaloosa area students, check out the link below. It includes photos and information on how the tornadoes affected local students.

Help Tuscaloosa Schools

Charlie Sheen's Tornado Relief Site

TORPEDOS for TORNADOS

We're going to assume the spelling is intentional. Thanks, Charlie!

T-Town Never Down T-Shirt Sale

T-Town Never Down is another organization selling T-shirts to benefit relief efforts.

T-Town Never Down

Rebuild Tuscaloosa T-Shirt Sale

Riverwood Presbyterian Church has put together a great website that has links to several resources and features a Rebuild Tuscaloosa t-shirt sale! Check it out:

Rebuild Tuscaloosa T-Shirt

Email from The University of Alabama

Here are some pieces from UA's most recent newsletter email:

In the coming days, volunteers will be required to have credentials in order to access the affected areas. This will allow volunteer resources to be adequately and efficiently dispersed based on need. To register to volunteer as an individual or for a church or agency, call (205) 248-5045.

A moment of silence will be observed Wednesday, May 4, from 5:13-5:14 p.m. in remembrance of the lives lost in last week’s tornado.

To avoid high traffic volume, people coming into Tuscaloosa should take I-20/59 to I-359 to University Boulevard to reach the UA campus.

A Good Tornado Donation List

Tuscaloosa Tornado Donations list

There are so many relief efforts coming into my inbox now! I will try to get them up here at some point. The work is picking up. Thanks to everyone for the incredible support in Tuscaloosa!

Volunteer Info Article

Tuscaloosa news has an article containing succinct info on Tuscaloosa volunteer sites and their needs.

Tuscaloosa News article