News You Can Use from District 9 City Council Office

 Embrace Mothers URL is active at www.birminghamal.gov/embracemothers until Monday, February 7 at 11:59 pm, you can nominate a phenomenal woman in the community to StrongHer by February 4 at strongher@birminghamal.gov and those high school students grades 9-12 must submit enter the World Games Art Poster Contest by Monday, Jan. 31. 

   

News You Can Use

Jan. 31, 2022

 

• Save a life and give blood during the City of Birmingham and the American Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Boutwell Auditorium. The blood drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule your appointment, visit: www.redcross.org, select “FIND A DRIVE” and then enter code: BHM. All donors will receive a $10 Amazon gift card by email.

 

• The City’s HR department has arranged several heart healthy events for employees in February. Please see attachments for details on the lunch time walking sessions from City Hall to Uptown and around Linn Park every Wednesday in February. The first walk will be Wednesday, Feb. 2. Questions? Contact Candace Pittman at 205-254-2514.

 

• National Wear Red Day, which is focused on raising awareness about heart disease in women, is Friday, Feb. 4. Employees not required to wear a uniform, are invited to wear red every Friday in February.

 

• If the cold weather has impacted your regular eating, sleeping, exercise or other routines, there’s help. You can find heart-healthy recipes at recipes.heart.org; heart-healthy living tips at https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living; and tips on how to move more at www.heart.org/movemore.

 

• The city’s Employee Assistance Program is available to employees in need of someone to talk to on a variety of mental health matters. Behavioral Health Systems can be reached at 800-245-1150 or by visiting this site: https://behavioralhealthsystems.com/ .

 

• Go here to see the bulk trash and brush collection schedule for February 2022.

 

• Get a good workout and have fun during the free Crunk Fitness sessions with Jamme Morginn on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs area of Boutwell Auditorium. Classes start at 6 p.m. Masks are required. Attendees are encouraged to bring bottled water and wear comfortable shoes and clothing for this dance-style workout. Move your body, renew your mind, lift your spirits and do you in 2022!!!

 

• Sign up to play in the free adult co-ed volleyball games at the Fountain Heights Rec Center, 1101 – 15^th Ave. North, every Monday night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Also, on every Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m., there will be free karate classes for ages 6 to 65 at Fountain Heights Rec Center. Call 205-515-3912 for more info.

 

• The Birmingham Public Library will host its Bards and Brews Poetry Slam at Boutwell Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 4 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Free admission. Please see attachment for more details.

 

• The Harlem Globetrotters will appear at Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. Go here for tickets.

 

• The Jefferson County Department of Health and several organizations have partnered with Easy Testing to offer COVID-19 testing at different locations. One of the newer locations is Cathedral of the Cross A.O.H. Church of God, 1480 Center Point Parkway, Monday - Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The testing uses a Yale saliva PCR test with results returned in 48 - 72 hours. Please refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, brushing teeth, or using mouth wash 30 minutes prior to arrival for your test. 

Anyone needing to be tested can pre-register at EasyTesting.com, but pre-registration is not required. Insurance is accepted, but is not required. For information concerning the testing site, please contact the Jefferson County COVID Information Call Center at (205) 858-2221.

 

• A conversation about the contributions of African Americans throughout history will held on Sunday, Feb. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Arlington House. This presentation is part of the 1619 Project. Please see attachment for more details.

 

• Due to COVID restrictions, the annual CEETA Games for city employees will be rescheduled. Have no fear, employees will get a chance to enjoy competitive fellowship with colleagues this year. Stay tuned for details regarding the new, virtual version.  

 

• Please see the “Feb. 2022 Events Flyer’’ from the county Office of Community Services and Workforce Development for several things happening in February.

 

 

 

Job Readiness Programs

 

• Please see attachments on details about free certification courses and job readiness programs from the Salvation Army Education and Workforce Development Center.  This month, they are offering a forklift training course and a shampoo tech certification course. Also, there is a two-week job readiness class that starts this week.

 

 

Previously Announced Events

 

• Applications for Embrace Mothers opened on Monday, Jan. 31 at 8 a.m. Applications will close on Monday, Feb. 7 at 11:59 p.m. A link to the application is available at www.birminghamal.gov/embracemothers. In this program, 110 single mothers living in Birmingham will be randomly selected to receive $375 per month for 12 months as part of the national Mayors for Guaranteed Income research project.

 

• Nominations for StrongHer, the City of Birmingham’s annual salute to outstanding women who live, work, attend school or volunteer in the Magic City, will close on Friday, Feb. 4. To nominate someone, send emails to strongher@birminghamal.gov. When making a nomination, please include: the nominee’s name, headshot, phone number and email address. Also tell us where the nominee lives, volunteers or works in Birmingham; and why they should be considered for recognition. To see profiles on past winners, visit www.birminghamal.gov/strongher. 

 

• Monday, Jan. 31 is the deadline for high school students in Alabama to enter the World Games Art Poster Contest. Students may submit photos, mixed media or digital. Prizes include $500 for first place; $250 for second place; and $100 for third place. Students in grades 9-12 may submit an entry in one of three categories: The World is Coming!; Sustainability; or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Go here for more info.
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Remember you can reach out to me as needed at the numbers listed below.

 

Barbara Jackson,

Community Liaison Officer-District 9

Office of Councilor LaTonya A. Tate

Birmingham City Council

205-254-2096 Office

205-478-4120 Cell