Giving

Apr 1
2010

The Gift of Music
in giving

The Gift of Music

Scrollworks offers Birmingham-area residents a top-dollar musical
education, free of charge.

BY LORI K. DITORO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB CULPEPPER

Long ago, before college-prep courses and debates over charter schools, music lessons were considered an integral part of any well-rounded student’s education. Today, though studies show musical training has a positive effect on learning, the art has been relegated to an extracurricular activity. And with school funding cuts and the high price of private lessons and instruments, many children don’t have the opportunity to participate.

Scrollworks, a Birmingham-based nonprofit group staffed by accomplished musicians, works every day to change that by offering people in the Birmingham area a chance to learn to play a musical instrument. The educational arm of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestras of Central Alabama (MYO), Scrollworks began three years ago and now teaches about 150 students in the Birmingham area each week. Being able to offer this service is “powerful,” says Jeane Goforth, the MYO’s CEO.

“When we formed our youth orchestra, we noticed that it was made up mostly of kids who could afford private lessons, and it wasn’t as diverse as we had hoped,” says Jeane, who, along with the other founders of the MYO, began the orchestras to bring children from all over the city together to play music. The group realized that, because of spending cuts and other factors, many inner-city children weren’t receiving the musical training needed to participate in the youth orchestra. Inspired by the El Sistema program in Venezuela (which began as an afterschool program teaching 11 kids in a garage, and now, 30 years later, teaches 300,000), Jeane and the other founders formed Scrollworks to give all children the benefits of playing an instrument. “It’s been proven that it helps with both math scores and language skills,” Jeane continues. “One of the things that we feel is important for the kids, once they develop their musical skills, is to become part of an ensemble because we think that helps them learn to get along as well.” Students don’t have to make appointments or register to be a part of the Scrollworks program— they simply have to walk in and pick up an instrument. And they’re encouraged to try out as many as they want.

“It’s a really good way for kids to find out what instrument they’re suited for,” Jeane says. “Some kids get assigned an instrument when they walk into band, and it’s not always the best fit. This way, they can try all the different instruments and find the one that speaks to them.”

Scrollworks also loans instruments to the children so they can practice at home. Raven Bice, a 15-year-old student from McCalla, initially took advantage of borrowing a violin. “I’ve always liked music, but we just couldn’t find anywhere [to take lessons] that we could afford,” Raven says. “When we heard about this, we decided to try it—we were so excited.” After she started the program, Raven’s parents were so proud of her accomplishments that they saved up to buy her a violin of her own for her birthday. “Scrollworks allowed me to have such a wonderful opportunity to play music and have a great time and find something that I’m really passionate about and that I’m good at,” Raven says. “It’s great that I found that.”

Jeane says that many participants may have an opportunity for more than just music lessons and positive reinforcement: What they learn at Scrollworks can also make them eligible for scholarships. She often encourages students to play the viola— an instrument orchestras typically struggle to find. Because of this, many viola scholarships are offered.William Jones, III, a 12- year-old from East Point, decided to take Jeane’s advice when she suggested that he try the viola about two years ago. He’s been playing it ever since and plans to audition for the Alabama School of Fine Arts next year.
While William enjoys his instructors and the flexibility of his lessons, his mother, Aimee, admits that what drew them to Scrollworks initially was the free lessons. “Free lessons and you get all these talented teachers,” she says. “Scrollworks is one of the best places that you could get lessons. I don’t think that you could pay for lessons any better than what you get here.”

Scrollworks depends on community members for financial support, donated instruments and teachers. For more information on how you can get involved visit myorch.org.

Get Involved
You don’t have to be a child to take advantage of Scrollworks’ lessons— adults are welcome too! Scrollworks currently provides lessons at the following locations:
CENTRAL PARK UNITED METHODIST
4616 Terrace Rd.W.
Birmingham,AL 35208 Wednesdays: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for piano, guitar and violin Thursdays: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for woodwinds and drums
HIGHLANDS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1045 20th St. S.
Birmingham,AL 35205
Fridays: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for piano, guitar, woodwinds and strings Saturdays: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. for piano, drums, guitar, woodwinds, trumpet and strings (Call about voice.)

by Abigail Millwood

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Feb 1
2010

Homeward Bound
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Homeward Bound
Heart Gallery Alabama gives a face to foster children.
BY ANGIE BROWN | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HEART GALLERY ALABAMA

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But sometimes it’s worth something far more valuable. At Heart Gallery Alabama, an organization that promotes adoption from Alabama’s foster system, each picture displayed offers the chance at a loving family and permanent home for a child in need.
     Right now, the state’s foster system consists of approximately 7,000 children, and about 700 of those children have had their parental rights terminated, meaning they are available for adoption. Of this number, about 300 do not currently have a permanent family identified for them, placing them in a foster or group home where they live while waiting to be adopted.
     That’s where Heart Gallery Alabama comes in. The organization works with professional photographers, who volunteer their time and services to take compelling portraits of these waiting children. Heart Gallery then pairs the photos with a short bio on each child and exhibits them at venues such as the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Levite Jewish Community Center, and other museums and churches throughout the state. “One of our goals is to enable you to see these kids in your home and picture them as your own children,” explains Executive Director Michelle Bearman-Wolnek, who is an adoptive parent and social worker. “We make them real, unique and individual—not just a name and a statistic.”
     The program has been a true success, resulting in the adoption of close to 150 children since the organization began in 2005. “Sometimes I don’t even recognize the children when the families send me their new photographs,” Michelle says. “You can’t even imagine this is the same child. They change so much. You don’t even notice how lost they looked in our pictures until you see how happy and comfortable they are with their new family.”
     Michelle decided to start Heart Gallery in January 2005 after reading an article in Parade about Diane Granito, a social worker in New Mexico who collaborated with photographer Cathy Maier Callanan to develop the idea of taking portraits of children in need of an adoptive home. Their idea had led to the creation of Heart Gallery of America, Inc. Inspired, Michelle contacted the organization and discovered that other advocates across Alabama had also expressed interest. Together, they formed the initial Board of Directors for Heart Gallery Alabama, and they reached out to the State Office of Permanency (then the State Office of Adoption). In November 2005, the organization displayed its first exhibit of 24 portraits at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
     Originally volunteer-run, Heart Gallery Alabama has grown to support a professional staff with hopes to expand even more this year. Thanks to a generous grant, the organization’s Web site now includes 50 videos so potential parents who connect with a particular photo can log on and watch that child’s interview. Next, Michelle wants to find a sponsor to provide bio cards at the exhibits so interested people can take the children’s information home with them. “These children—by no fault of their own—are in the predicament that they are in,” Michelle says. “We have a saying that there are no unwanted children, only unfound families, and that’s really the truth. Once you get to know any of these children, you realize that most of them just need a stable, loving home.”
     On February 11, Heart Gallery Alabama will host its 2nd Annual Fotos, Frames and Fun event at Ted’s Garage. With music, food, silent and live auctions, and, of course, a chance to view the children’s portraits, it’s a party you won’t want to miss. The exhibit will travel to Talladega during February and Huntsville in March. To find out more and listen to the kids tell their own stories, visit heartgalleryalabama.com. To learn more about how it all began, visit heartgalleryofamerica.org.

by Abigail Millwood

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Nov 5
2009

Counting on Kairos
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Counting on Kairos

One self-taught chef's vision gives others hope, a haven and some seriously delicious chicken fingers.

BY SARAH CAMPBELL | PHOTO BY ROB CULPEPPER

    In Greek, two words translate into English as "time." One, chronos, signifies calendars, seasons and other orderly markers of the clock. The other, kairos, refers to God's special moments in life-occasions like a child's birth, a new job, an extraordinary trip or encounter, a wedding. James K. Jones, the chef and owner of Kairos Katering, has seen firsthand the transformative concept of kairos. Though he has always loved to cook (or as he says, "make a mess in my grandmother's kitchen"), it's only recently he's been able to turn his passion into a career, a possibility his earlier decisions nearly sabotaged.
    At 20, the Phenix City, Alabama, native was arrested and served seven years on drug-related charges. But, kairos: That's when his life changed through Christ, and where, in a prison Bible study, James met his best friend and pastor, Steve Longenecker. Once released, he moved to Birmingham, committed to turning his life around, and became a member of Steve's Grace & Truth Church (housed in the old Ollie's Barbeque building on University Boulevard). He prayed that an employer could look beyond his record. Soon, James found a job waiting tables at Leonardo's, reaching a managerial position before bringing Steve and other church elders a business proposal in 2004: a catering service run out of the nearly unused church kitchen.
    Kairos Kafe-the part-ministry, part-business offshoot of Kairos Katering-opened for weekday lunch in December 2006. James describes the Greek-influenced Southern food as "kinda like Mee-Maw went to the Mediterranean and brought back some recipes to blend with her own." Mee-Maw and Granny, James' grandmothers, gave their grandson his first kitchens to experiment in, and it's their family recipes (and James' improvisations) that now ground the menu. James has since added a weekday breakfast menu and an evening carryout service, with hopes to expand to dinner and eventually franchise.
    Now, almost three years later, James sees himself in a position to give back, putting the Golden Rule into practice and feeding the soul as well as the stomach. "We make every attempt to not only give people a chance for employment, but also to empower them to get out of their ‘prisons'-whatever prison that may be," he says. "Some are built with bars of iron and razor wire, some with liquor or beer bottles, some with drugs, some with hatred, some with ‘religious' facades, and some with just not knowing how to deal with the pressures of life and loss." James has hired recovering alcoholics and drug users, ex-convicts and those dealing with mental illness-all hardworking and friendly, and all, like he was and is, grateful for opportunity and purpose. But jobs aren't the only support he offers; James also meets with and counsels his staff personally, while the church provides additional resources. Many of James' employees are devoted Christians. In fact, he often asks job applicants to come to Grace & Truth's "Life After Prison" class (led every Monday by Pastor Longenecker). In his experience, "usually the ones that show up are the ones that really want to do something with their lives."
    Not everyone who works at Kairos came in need of a second chance, though. Some-like his pastor's wife, Lenora, the dining room director, or James' best friend (and Lenora's son-in-law) Jeremy, his catering director-have never struggled with addictions or spent time in prison. Others, like Branden, the chef's apprentice who came to Kairos at 16, have been mentored by James. "He could have easily headed down that path," James says. "He grew up as I did, without a father or a positive male role model. Over the years he's become like my own son."
    For a restaurant whose motto is "building relationships around food," it's only fitting that dishes are named after important members of the Kairos team. Most folks James hires stay long-term: When you order Ms. Mary's Associate Burger with provolone cheese and fries, it just might be Mary herself that serves up the dish. Or it may be Branden who prepares his namesake fried green tomatoes. James has been constantly humbled by the community’s embrace, in everything from numerous word-of-mouth recommendations to local cooking spots on FOX 6 to a recent nomination in The Birmingham News for the best chicken fingers in the area.
            The clattering sounds of a busy kitchen all around him, surrounded by people whose lives he’s had a hand in changing, James knows this moment, this thing he’s built, is a kairos one.

by Abigail Millwood

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