C56U7104 Toyota Green Initiative volunteers made 'magic' happen at the West End Community Garden — Birmingham residents, Felita Powell (mom) and Skylar Nicks (daughter) volunteering at the West End Community Garden. Photo courtesy of Toyota Green Initiative

Last week, before the Magic City Classic, the Toyota Green Initiative (TGI) joined forces with Birmingham West End neighborhood volunteers and students from Alabama State University, Alabama A&M and nearby colleges to make some “magic” of their own, volunteering at the West End Community Garden.

The Toyota Green Initiative is a movement to help find smart, simple ideas that can make a positive environmental impact in communities and in people’s life.

C56U7010 Toyota Green Initiative volunteers made 'magic' happen at the West End Community Garden — Student ambassadors from Alabama A&M at the Toyota Green Initiative at West End Community Garden. Photo courtesy of Toyota Green Initiative

Working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as part of this year’s Magic City Classic festivities, Toyota held a Day of Service at the West End Gardens on the drizzly, wet morning of Friday, October 26.

Despite the weather, several students, alumni and neighborhood volunteers spent the morning lending supporting the garden.

C56U7069 Toyota Green Initiative volunteers made 'magic' happen at the West End Community Garden — Volunteer from West End Urban Garden, Alabama A&M student ambassadors, and TGI coalition member, Yoli Ouiya. Photo courtesy of Toyota Green Initiative

“Volunteer day was extremely rewarding,” said Yolo Ouiya, a member of the Toyota Green Initiative Coalition. “We got an opportunity to support the garden by preparing the soil for crop covers, harvesting vegetables, digging up sweet potatoes, preparing that land for a new harvest, weeding and picking up debris in the neighborhood.”

More than just a community garden, the West End Community Garden supplies food for the community and the nearby WE Cafe, a project of Urban Ministry. The cafe not only receives neighborhood grown food, they hire and train local students for internships.

WE Birmingham Alabama — Urban Ministry’s 2017 WE Cafe Interns. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

“We do these kinds of events to support everyone. Growing your own food not only supports your health, it saves you money, you control what goes into your food, and it contributes to the overall growth of the community,” added Ouiya.

The WE Cafe will be serving meals this week on October 31 and November 1.

Here are the details.

Check out the cafe and while you are at it visit the West End Community Garden which is only a block or two from the Church. See how the volunteers who participate in the Toyota Green Initiative Day of Service made a difference… their own bit of magic.