rural Alabama Archives - David Mathews Center for Civic Life

Tag Archives: rural Alabama

September 26, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: Anatomy of Rural Renewal
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Vaughn reflects on rural progress in his thought piece from Jasper, Alabama.
“We’ve got to keep a high level of community interest involvement. We can’t let our people get to where we’re complacent” Brent McCarver says as he leans forward over his desk, making slight hand gestures. Born in Athens, Alabama, but living in Jasper, McCarver lived in and around Athens and Russellville in North Alabama until his mid-twenties. He went to college in the area, but had never been to Jasper until he was 25 and working on a political campaign.
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September 19, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: Giving to the Giving Garden
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Jack West reports on Elba’s Giving Garden in his thought piece from Coffee County, Alabama.
Behind the old jail and its rusted-out cells, new life sprouts every year in Elba.
The community’s Giving Garden is a plot of land where volunteers can help grow cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and other produce that is then donated to the Elba Community Food Bank.
The garden was started and is managed by Restoration154, Inc., a non-profit group in Elba.
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September 18, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: BAMA KIDS Inc. Builds Wilcox County Success Story
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Laura Thompson reports on the work of BAMA KIDS Inc. in her thought piece from Camden.
After nurturing children in Wilcox County for more than 25 years, BAMA KIDS Inc. provided a full slate of educational and recreational opportunities for more than 70 children this summer.
Created in 1993 by a group of volunteers inspired by Albert Gordon and the Rev. Frank Smith, BAMA KIDS started with a “lot of enthusiasm and community support” but little money.
Today, thanks to collaborations with people throughout the Camden community and institutions like the University of Alabama in Birmingham and foundations, the organization has produced countless success stories.
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September 13, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: When Rural Isn’t Rural Enough, Challenges to Mental Healthcare in Walker County
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Logan Fenhouse reports on access to mental healthcare in her civic dispatch from Walker County.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, almost one in five of American adults will suffer from a mental illness of some form within the next year. In Walker County alone, that means nearly 13,000 of the almost 65,000 residents here will experience mental health problems. For a tight-knit small town like Jasper, this means that practically everyone knows someone, or are themselves, facing mental illness.
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September 11, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: Lou Schell Loves Life on the Road and at Home in Chatom
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Melissa Dennis shares Lou Schell’s story in her thought piece from Chatom, Alabama.
When talking with Inda Lou Schell in Chatom, Alabama, three things become evident: one, community is an essential part of life; two, the sky’s the limit; three, “people [truly] make the difference.” Read More »
September 10, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: The Future of Small Town America
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Vaughn Gingerich reflects on small town America in his thought piece from Walker County.
I kept an open mind, having spoken with a previous intern who had a great experience, but didn’t quite know what to expect. Having grown up in Anchorage, Alaska, I had never spent much time in a rural setting before, let alone in the American South. So, when I first came to Jasper, my eyes mostly picked out what confirmed the stereotypes and assumptions people have about small, rural towns: vacated industrial properties, abandoned storefronts, and empty streets.
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August 27, 2019
/ Civic Dispatch
Civic Dispatch: Meals on Wheels Trip Opens Eyes
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Whitt Watts reflects on his experience with a Meals on Wheels team in his thought piece from Elba, Alabama.
The presence of food seems to be everywhere in Elba, whether that’s a Chamber of Commerce meeting, church service or at the Giving Garden. This summer I had an opportunity to explore another food service in Elba, one that delivers hot meals to people all over the community, when I joined up with the Meals on Wheels Team at the Elba Church of Christ.
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December 14, 2017
/ Uncategorized
A Year of Service
2017-18 Civic Fellow Jessica Holdnak reflects on her service year thus far. Read More »