Corporate Energizers give $12,500 to charities, food to women’s shelter
Thanks to memers of Alabama Power's Corporate Energizers, happier holidays are ahead for residents at Jessie's Place, a shelter for abused women in Birmingham, Alabama. During the Corporate Energizers' Christmas celebration, each member donated two food items for Jessie's Place. Patrice Mancha, the facility's cook, was thrilled with Energizers' donations for hurting women and children. (Donna Cope/Alabama NewsCenter)
‘Tis the season for giving, and Alabama Power’s Corporate Energizers showed their holiday spirit with $2,500 donations to five charities.
Energizers is the charitable arm for retiree volunteers of Alabama Power, Southern Company and Southern Nuclear in Alabama.
Corporate Chapter members gave 15 sacks of canned goods and boxed foodstuffs to Jessie’s Place, a women’s and children’s shelter in Birmingham. Corporate Energizers Secretary Glenda Taylor delivered the food.
Eight women and nine children are at Jessie’s Place this holidays. (Jessie’s Place)
Bill Smith, an Energizer and former Alabama Power assistant treasurer, said, “I’m thinking of people less fortunate than we are. We need to help them.”
Smith donated grape juice and three cans of fruit. Patrice Mancha, a cook for Jessie’s Place, said Energizers’ donations will ensure that eight women and nine children at the shelter enjoy a nice Christmas meal.
At the Corporate Energizers’ holiday meeting, Chapter President Van Horne said that members made about $11,000 this year through a joint auction with the Magic City Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization. Horne and his board, with 150 Energizers, honored these greater-Birmingham area charities:
- Forward in Faith Ranch – Hoover.
- Shepherd’s Fold Transitional Ministries – Birmingham.
- Three Hots and a Cot – Center Point.
- The WellHouse – Springville.
- YMCA Strong Kids program, Shades Valley YMCA – Homewood.
“We want to thank these groups for their good work,” Horne said. “This is one of the primary reasons we exist.”
Helping Birmingham charities help residents
Rich Cislac, CFO of Three Hots and a Cot, said that the Corporate Energizers’ gift came just in time to help homeless veterans at the holidays. The nonprofit – formed by veterans to help veterans in need – provides a place for homeless veterans to transition to a self-sustained lifestyle.
“Veteran homelessness is still out there,” said Cislac, who has transported residents of the transitional housing center to and from jobs. “The VA calls us every day. On the bright side, we’ve helped over 250 veterans this year. We look forward to opening another one of these homes in 2020.”
Since 1986, Shepherd’s Fold Transitional Ministries has helped men at risk of incarceration or who are coming out of prison, said Director of Operations Trent Redwine. Shepherd’s Fold is one of a handful of re-entry programs in Alabama that provides transitional housing and support services. From 410 men assisted, less than 3% have returned to prison.
“We’ve got a big push in Birmingham and across the nation for men reentering society after prison, to help these men become prosperous and decrease recidivism,” said Redwine, who has worked for the ministry for nearly three years. “We give them the social skills they need and give them opportunities to be successful, instead of pushing them out without any help.”
Holly Hyche, development officer at the WellHouse, thanked Corporate Energizers for helping provide shelter and transitional programs for women and girls seeking to escape exploitation by human traffickers.
“Many people have no idea that 40 percent of all human trafficking occurs in the Southeast, and I-20 is a major trafficking corridor,” Hyche said.
From September to November 2019, the WellHouse rescued 11 women and one child from human trafficking. The crime has infringed on the Birmingham area, where three women were rescued, including a woman from Vestavia Hills. The WellHouse, which is the nation’s largest group that assists trafficking victims, serves 33 residents on its Springville campus.
“The WellHouse partners with law enforcement,” Hyche said. “We provide long-term services to victims, and have opened a trauma center to provide therapy, as well as a long-term transitional apartment facility for residents to try out their independence and still receive WellHouse services.”
The volunteer-operated Forward in Faith Ranch is thankful for Corporate Energizer’s support, said Executive Director Elizabeth Stanley. The ranch serves 50 students a week in horseback and therapeutic riding programs, tailored for people with physical, emotional and social difficulties.
