Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
2 ways to volunteer this holiday season in under one minute
Reading time: 5 minutes
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The holiday season can be tough for many, leading to decreased mental health and increased substance use. But there is help thanks to Addiction Prevention Coalition (APC), a nonprofit community resource that aims to eliminate addiction in Central Alabama. Here’s a look at how APC is leading through hope to make a positive difference during the holiday season and how you can, too.
3 things you need to know about Addiction Prevention Coalition
- It’s a local nonprofit community resource with a vision to be a leader in addiction prevention by inspiring people to live with hope, resilience and purpose.
- It provides programs like prevention education for adolescents and adults, teen mental health first aid and scholarships for people to enter rehab.
- Its biggest yearly fundraiser is the End Addiction Bham Walk, which brings thousands together in an effort to spread awareness about the drug epidemic in Alabama. Check out the most recent walk held in March and meet the 2022 Champion for the Cause here.
Learn more about how APC’s leading the charge to eliminate Substance Use Disorder in Birmingham and surrounding areas.
Gift of Thanksgiving
Each year, APC hosts a Thanksgiving Lunch for the residents and staff of Fellowship House Recovery Services.
Located in Birmingham’s Southside, Fellowship House provides substance use disorder recovery programs designed to serve the special needs of individuals who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction and co-occurring disorders.
While this special lunch includes delicious food from Q’s Bar and Grill and dessert from Big Spoon Creamery, it provides much more to residents of Fellowship House such as a sense of home and togetherness.
“This is an important event because people in recovery do not always get to go home for the holidays. This is a chance for them to eat festive food and get to fellowship with people around them.”
Michaela Smith, Media/Event Coordinator, APC
How you can help
While this unique holiday-inspired gathering is only for residents and staff of Fellowship House, you can still be involved in a big way when you give the gift of Thanksgiving Lunch.
This year’s Thanksgiving Lunch takes place on November 23, and your donation helps cover the cost of food provided during the event. We have Q’s Bar and Grill and Big Spoon Creamery who will provide the food.
It takes less than a minute to give the gift of Thanksgiving Lunch at Fellowship House. Donate here.
Project Holiday Hope
A holiday card may not seem like much, but it can mean a great deal to someone going through recovery. This simple gesture of giving someone a card is the inspiration behind one of APC’s most heartwarming holiday events—Project Holiday Hope.
Project Holiday Hope is a time when people across Birmingham can create handwritten cards with notes of encouragement to those in recovery. When you want to give a little back during the holidays, it doesn’t have to take hours of time. It takes less than a minute to fill out a holiday card, but the impact it makes could last forever.
“This is an important event because during the holidays people can feel lonely or not in the holiday spirit when not surrounded by family. Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that not everyone gets to spend time with their loved one during the holidays, and these special cards are a wonderful way for people to see that they are loved and people care about them.”
Michaela Smith, Media/Event Coordinator, APC
Last year’s event was a big success! Over 400 cards were made and delivered to people in recovery across Central Alabama. APC hopes to top the previous year with 600 cards sent.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Create and mail your specially-made card(s) to APC’s office at 105 Vulcan Rd, Ste 332, Birmingham, AL 35209.
- Visit APC’s office (at the above address) on Thursday, December 8 and volunteer some time to create cards.
- To volunteer on December 8, email APC’s Media/Event Coordinator Michaela Smith with the time you would like to volunteer at michaela@apcbham.org.
Creating a card for Project Holiday Hope? Here are some ideas of what you can write in your card:
- “So proud of you for all your efforts in pursuing freedom!”
- “Keep pushing forward, you are worth it!”
- “Pursuing sobriety is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself”
- “You have so much hope ahead!”
- “You are so brave and your strength inspires others!”
To learn more about APC and the many ways they are helping fight addiction in Birmingham, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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