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✨ Warm & Heartfelt: We loved being part of 1 Table Florence today! What a beautiful reminder of the power of community—friends and neighbors coming together to share food, laughter, and good company. Huge thanks to the organizers and sponsors who made this special gathering possible!	✨Huge shout out to the UNA Men’s Golf Team for giving our agency some much needed clean up today! 🧽🫧	Our team spent last week at the Children’s Trust Fund Grantee Training hosted at the stunning Perdido Beach Resort, and it was such a meaningful experience! 🌟🌊 We had the chance to connect with incredible professionals from across Alabama who are all working toward the same goal—supporting families, protecting children, and strengthening our communities. We’re returning inspired, better equipped, and excited to put new ideas into action for the families we serve every day. 💛
What a privilege it was to speak with families at Westminster Head Start’s first parent workshop! 💛 We loved sharing information about our FORWARD and Mothers Programs, along with other helpful resources that can make a real difference for these families. It was also wonderful connecting with our local partner agencies and learning more about the amazing work they’re doing to support our community.	It was such an honor to be invited to speak about Meals on Wheels of the Shoals at today’s Florence Kiwanis Club meeting. Thank you all for taking the time to learn more about our mission and for your generous donation. Your support helps us continue delivering not just meals, but care and connection to seniors across our community. We appreciate you more than you know!	Last week our Parenting Coordinator Jackie Baker had the pleasure of speaking about our Fatherhood Forward program in Gulf Shores, at the Alabama Child Support Association's 50th Anniversary Conference! What a blessing it was! Thank you Jackie for dedicating your time to take part in something so special!
We had the best time at Adult Education - Northwest Shoals Community College Trunk or Treat Tuesday night!!	Happy Halloween from our Spooktacular crew at Community Action! Stay safe.	50 Years of EVA! In honor of 50 years of unwavering dedication at Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama. With gratitude for your continued service and the countless lives you touch every day. And Still Making a Difference.
What an incredible weekend at Recovery at the River 2025! 🌟 #WeDoRecover — and our community continues to prove that recovery is real and possible. 💙 If you’re ready for a new beginning, reach out to Community Action Northwest Alabama. Find a meeting. Choose to step away from what holds you back and walk toward people who will support, encourage, and love you.	The UA SafeState Lead Inspectors/Risk Assessors, Greg Stuckey and Ben Engleman from Tuscaloosa, recently visited our area to conduct lead testing in local homes. Out of the four homes tested, three were found to have lead hazards. Depending on the size of each home, the inspection process took between two to four hours. We are truly grateful for their time, expertise, and willingness to share their knowledge as we prepare to launch this program at full strength.	We are excited for our new sign supporting our Forward program!!! Adult Education - Northwest Shoals Community College Alabama Department of Human Resources Alabama Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention
Annual Staff Training. 2025	We are truly overwhelmed and deeply moved by the outpouring of support from our Shoals communities. All across the area, statues and fountains shine in blue, signs are proudly displayed, and pinwheels spin in the spring breeze — each one a symbol of hope, awareness, and unity in the fight against child abuse and neglect. April is more than just a month on the calendar — it’s a time to come together, to speak up, and to stand strong for the most vulnerable among us.	Y’all are showing up and showing out — grabbing your veggies and gardening goodies at your local co-ops! This is one of our favorite times of the year, seeing so many of you come through checkout with garden vouchers from the Gerald Williams Cooperative Gardening Program. A huge thank you to the TVA retirees for their continued support and funding of this amazing program — we couldn’t do it without you! Just a reminder: vouchers are valid through May 23rd.
Community Action team is proudly wearing blue in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. Let’s stand together to raise awareness, show support, and help prevent child abuse in our communities. Every action counts!	Honored to be a part of the Children’s Trust Fund Pinwheel Ceremony. The beautiful weather, incredible people, and meaningful cause made for an unforgettable experience. Grateful to contribute to such an important mission!!	On April 1st, 2025, in Wilson Park, Mayor Andrew Betterton presented official proclamations recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month to representatives from One Place of the Shoals and the Cramer Children’s Center. So blessed to take part in such a wonderful event!
United we will fight for our children and victims of sexual assault. What a blessing this was for our organization to be apart of this wonderful event.	This month, come explore our special Mother's Program exhibit and learn about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome, as well as the impact of drug and alcohol addiction on infants. April is Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month, and it's vital that we unite in raising awareness about these devastating effects of child abuse and neglect. Let’s work together to end child abuse and neglect—because every child deserves a safe, nurturing environment.
Family Fun Fair 2025	Celebrating 60 Years of Community Action of Northwest Alabama!	TVA Retirees made a generous check presentation to support the Gerald Williams Cooperative Gardening Program, which has been serving the Shoals area since 1976. This program provides gardens for over 700 local families, and we are deeply grateful for the continued funding that allows this beloved initiative to thrive.
468 Easter Baskets. 468 Smiling Faces. One Unforgettable Night. What an incredible evening spent with the our kiddos in the Shoals area! Watching their eyes light up as they received their Easter baskets and got a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny was nothing short of magical. This wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing heart of our community. From generous individuals to devoted churches and passionate non-profit organizations, you made this happen!!	A huge thank you to The Caring Place of the Shoals for partnering with all of our local non-profit organizations in making this year's Annual Community Services Easter Basket Giveaway a success! The bunnies created by these wonderful ladies are always such a hit and bring so much joy to everyone!	What a privilege it is to be able to serve those in our community.
		Carley and David accepting the Gerald Williams Cooperative Gardening Program check presentation.
4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.
4th Annual Easter Basket Giveaway.	Jackie and Ashley working Pancake day for Florence Kiwanis!!	Community Action of NW-AL FORWARD Workforce Development program funded by Alabama Department of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention and Alabama Department of Human Resources is so excited we were able to assist Lorenda with her parenting and educational goals through our partnership with Adult Education - Northwest Shoals Community College. She completed the Forward Workforce Development program successfully and has a bright future ahead of her!!
Jacki Baker for visiting the ladies today at A New Beginning to share insights about the Forward Program.	What a great event UNA put on for their UNA Internship and Career Fair! We had a great turn out and got to meet and speak with a lot of great upcoming Social Workers in our area! The UNA BSW & MSW is a great program with many great professors that a guiding these young minds for great futures in the Social Work field! We are so honored to be a part of this event!	What a privilege it was to sit down with Bethany Green and Jessica Davenport at their Social Media + Storytelling workshop! We all gained so many helpful tips on how to share our organization’s stories using social media! Thank you ladies for taking the time to share your helpful knowledge and training!! You were wonderful!
We had such an amazing turn out at our monthly Shoals Community Services Council meeting! It is such a privilege to be apart of a community where we all come together to share our love and compassion on what we can do to improve and help our community! Thank you to Helen Keller Library for hosting this months meeting!!	Community Action was honored to be apart of the United Way's 2022-2023 Annual Meeting and Kick-Off Campaign. Congratulations to all the award winners and appreciation to all of those who contribute to United Way every year!	We were so honored to be a part of Northwest Shoals Community College’s graduation lastnight! Jackie gave her testimony and gave encouraging words to the graduates. Congratulations grads!
We would like to thank NWSCC for all their hard work and dedication to our community and partnership with Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama! Our Forward program is proudly funded by the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect and the Alabama Department of Human Resources.	We are extremally blessed and overjoyed by the love and support from all our community organizations, churches, individuals and every single one of you involved that helped make our 3rd Annual Community Easter Basket Giveaway exceed all expectations! We were able to provide Easter baskets to 452 children in the Shoals area. We had such an amazing turn-out and to all of you that came to help, thank you!! We look forward to next year!!	ACCS Military & Veterans College & Career Workshop at Northwest Shoals Community College! We were able to share about programs available in our community for our military, active duty, guardsmen, reservists, and their dependents.
Operation Save Teens. Wow! What a wonderful event we were able to be apart of. Lieutenant Mike Reese gave an incredibly informative presentation on the dangers our youth are facing today! Julie Letsinger shared her family’s story and the passing of the bill called Landon’s law that was passed in remembrance of her son. Huge shout out to Project FREEDOM for providing us with the resource for Naloxone and demonstrating the proper way to administer. If you ever see Operation Save Teens in our area	Last week we were honored to show appreciation to our local Publix stores in the Shoals area! Thank you to Publix and their employees for their contributions and support to United Way that helps to fund all the wonderful programs in our community like Meals on Wheels! We appreciate you!	Our staff at the Lauderdale office is wearing blue for Child Abuse and Awareness Prevention Month.
Thank you to the Central Elementary teachers and students for making Valentines Day cards for our Meals on Wheels!!	We are so proud of Cory Morgan and his achievements through the NARP/FORWARD Program in collaboration with NWSCC Adult Education Dept. His hard work and determination are helping him create a better life for his family! NARP and FORWARD Program funding are provided by AL Dept. of Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention, AL Dept of Human Resources and the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation.	We were happy to collaborate with Leighton Elementary to upgrade their cafeteria area to better accommodate students after the COVID 19 pandemic.
The new FORWARD program and it's first graduates. This program helps clients with workforce development skills, education and parenting, providing financial incentives as milestones are reached during the program. Reach out today to find out if you qualify to enroll!	This spring, over 675 Shoals' households received FREE plants, seed and fertilizer in April through the annual Gerald Williams Garden program. This program is in cooperation with the Muscle Shoals TVA Retirees Association and gives Shoals area families an alternative source of food to help cut down on monthly expenses. We appreciate the area Co-Ops helping us in this endeavor each year.	At this year's second annual Easter Basket Give Away, we were able to serve over 150 children at the event. The event was a collaboration through our NARP/FORWARD and MOTHERS programs with the other community service providers in our area.
Our staff participated in the Florence Police Department "Walk to End Violence" recently.	Susan Cole is one of our HUD Certified Housing Counselors. She works with the Chance Homeless Project as the Outreach Counselor for Franklin, Marion, Lawrence and Winston Counties. The Chance Homeless Project is designed to help those who find themselves living in a temporary public shelter or living in a hotel paid for by a charity program. Certain guidelines determine program help.	We recently had the honor of participating in the UNA College of Nursing Community Baby Shower. We were able to support this event through diapers, wipes and supplies.
We were happy to re-certify with HUD as an Approved Housing Counselor Agency through 2025.	The Weatherization program helps clients to learn more about conserving energy. The goal is to help homeowners living on low income to receive one time home weatherization assessments to determine measures that can reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills. Above is Mr. Jay Hendricks, weatherization specialist, inspecting a local home recently.	Our staff recently spent time sharing best practices and learning more about the community resources for clients at our Spring Staff Retreat.
Our staff working to bring best practices and resources back to their respective programs. We are blessed with some of the best!	Governor Ivy spoke to the Shoals recently and we were glad to be represented at her event. Pictured above are Mandy Dowdy, Assistant Director, David Crosby, Executive Director and Jackie Baker, FORWARD Program Coordinator.	David Crosby, our new Executive Director, at the Staff Christmas Party. We are thankful for his leadership.
Are you HOMELESS or at risk of becoming homeless, Coordinated Entry can help. Call 256-577-0816 . The AL 502 has a "no wrong door" policy for help within our 6 county CoC. The flyer shows all the places you can get help if you are in need.	We are pleased to be one of the recipients awarded grants from the TVA/Florence Electric Department Collaboration with Community Cares Money. We are thankful for their contribution to our ever-important work.	Community Action Northwest recently took on the responsibility of being the HMIS Lead Agency for the Homeless Care Council of NW Alabama Continuum of Care. Coordinated Entry is also managed out of CAANW with various office locations throughout the continuum providing a "no-wrong door" approach for anyone experiencing homelessness. The AL 502 Continuum of Care serves 6 counties in Northwest Alabama.
One of our network partners, ENCAP Nebraska, made these wonderful Huggy Heart masks for Community Action Employees. We are happy to Mask Up to provide a safe environment for our staff and clients. Safe Safe and Healthy!	During Community Action Month, we took time out to recognize the hard work and dedication of our staff here at Community Action Northwest. Their commitment to helping those in need has never been more evident than during the recent pandemic crisis. They continued to work on the front lines helping those in need find food, shelter and other resources. We thank them for their dedication and love for our community.	We want to welcome the newest member of our staff, Shermen Jackson. He will be working in the Responsible Parenting/Fatherhood Program as Program Facilitator. We are glad to have him on our team.
The Gerald Williams Gardening Program is helping over 575 families grow their own food source this spring. Vouchers for seed, fertilizer and plants were mailed to qualifying households this month. We greatly appreciate the Lauderdale and Colbert County Co-Ops working with us to make this possible for our community. This program is made possible in part by the TVA Retiree Association.	During this unprecedented time in our country, we are relying on the kindness of our law enforcement to help deliver meals. This allows our regular volunteers, many of whom are in the high risk age group, to stay safe and healthy. We can't say Thank You enough for the help all 3 sheriff departments have provided us in their respective counties!	We are excited to have the UNA chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta delivering meals this week on some of our routes. These ladies are smart, sweet and serving in our community!
We are happy to join the UNA Office of Alumni Relations in congratulating the 2019 UNA Community Service Award Winner, Patsy "Pat" Davis Burney '88. Burney has lived in #Florence since 1976 and considers it her home. She graduated from UNA with a Bachelor's of Science in Management. Pat has been a long time supporter and volunteer with us at Meals on Wheels and we are happy to celebrate her.	Meet Lyndon, a Dad in our Responsible Fatherhood Program. Lyndon is now enrolled in the CDL Training class with Affordable Truck Driver Training in Moulton Alabama to obtain his Class A license and then be placed in employment. Lyndon said, “This is an opportunity for a new career made possible by Ms. Jackie and the Responsible Fatherhood Program that will help me with my family for years to come.” Pictured with Lyndon is Charlie Casewell, one of the instructors from Affordable Trucking.	Jackie Baker recently met with Lauderdale County Child Support Court and DHR to give report on the outcomes of these program's partnership. In 2018, the Responsible Parenting/Fatherhood Program in collaboration with Lauderdale County Child Support and DHR collected over $128,000 in child support. Program participants were given opportunities for more education, training for increased skill certification and parenting counseling. This collaboration boasts some of the best outcomes in the state.
Members of our staff recently attended the annual May meeting for Community Actions across the state. 20 agencies gathered to collaborate and learn best practices for better serving our clients.	As part of Child Abuse & Neglect Awareness month, our Responsible Parenting program has been educating the community on the importance of strengthening the family bond. Let's all do our part to end child abuse and neglect. All children deserve a great childhood.	The first general session of 2019 is now underway in Montgomery. Members of our staff spent the first 2 days meeting with the legislation from our area on concerns of the Shoals.
	We recently received a testimonial from one of our graduates in the Mother's Program. Amber credits Mrs. Sheila Weaver and her time in the Mother's Program with the growth in her relationship with her son, Tanner.	Del Green, Family Services Manager for Habitat for Humanity, recently spoke to the first time home buyer's class about the application process for HFH. Brenda Crittenden, Vice President/Residential Mortgage Manager also spoke to the class about the mortgage process. Jernessa Jones of Operation Hope with SunTrust Bank and Jay Hendricks, CAANW Weatherization Specialist also spoke. Certificates were awarded for completers of the class.
UNA Alpha Gams made and delivered special treats to our Meals on Wheels of The Shoals seniors on Valentine's Day. Our seniors love when the Alpha Gams visit. We are delighted to have them as partners helping us fight senior hunger in the Shoals.	We are please to announce that First Southern Bank has joined Meals on Wheels of The Shoals as a Sustaining Sponsor for 2019. We are excited to be joining forces to fight elder hunger in the Shoals area. Together, we are better.	Meals on Wheels of The Shoals was delighted to have Bank Independent team members join in to deliver meals to our area seniors recently. None of our work is possible without the continued support from our community.
Secret Santa deliveries were made during Christmas to our seniors on the Meals On Wheels program. Donations for their wish list were filled by churches, organizations and individuals. Thank you to all who made their holidays brighter.	We are thankful to all the area Kiwanis Clubs for their support of Meals On Wheels of The Shoals. Together, we are fighting to end senior hunger in the Shoals. Pictured is Bob Head, Kiwanis Club of Tuscumbia President and Ms. Eva Graham, MOWS Coordinator.	Pete Key, Life coach and motivational speaker, provided a motivational workshop for members of the Responsible Parenting Class on August 23. His workshops provide hope and ways for change to people in crisis situations. We are always glad to have him.
“I'm very grateful that the Chance program gave me and my new daughter a fresh start. My life has grown and prospered over the past year and that's all because of the this program. It gave me the opportunity to get off the streets, be a better parent and stay clean.”​ We are so proud of Casandra and wish her the very best in the future.	The Fatherhood/Responsible Parenting Class recently got to spend some quality family time with their children at Sky Zone in Florence. This class teaches parenting skills that help make the family, and extended family, a place where children can thrive.	We were delighted to have Rev. Danny Whitehead, Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Florence, and Cornelia McIntosh delivering meals on one of our Florence routes today! #doservelove #MOWS #volunteerism #seniornutrition #volunteertoday #mealsonwheelspeople
Recently, we held ROMA training for some of our board members and new staff. We are very fortunate to have Jackie Brewer Baker, Certified ROMA Trainer, in our office. ROMA is the results oriented and management accountability system that guides all Community Action Agency decisions. Pictured above are CAANW Board Members and staff.	We love seeing our volunteer's share their love of delivering a friendly meal with their grandchildren. Mrs. Ann Smith had her grandchildren, Aubrie and Braxton, with her recently to deliver meals.	Jay Hendricks, Weatherization Specialist, speaks to First Time Homebuyers Class about key structure elements to look for when buying a home.
The President has declared May as Seniors Month. Meals on Wheels delivers over 60,000 meals to Shoals area seniors each year. We love our seniors.	We are always appreciative of the time and commitment our board puts in to serving in the community.