JANUARY 2022
Filling up the
Magic City FeedBHM rescues leftover food to provide for hungry families PAGE 28
NEW YEAR CLEANOUT
Gone for Good shreds sensitive documents and provides purposeful jobs too PAGE 22
New Moves with Martial Arts On-the-Go Breakfast Recipes Sean of the South Goes Fishin’
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EDITOR’S NOTE Unless you’re like me and use the Epiphany as an excuse to procrastinate taking down the Christmas decorations—it feels like I just finished putting them all out—your tinsel is probably tangled in a box in the basement till next year, and in its place your home feels like a fresh slate to welcome 2022. Resolutions mark the beginning of every New Year, and maybe you’re joining the “new year, new me” crowd. We have a great idea for boosting your family’s activity level and time together: take a class at Birmingham Academy of Martial Arts. With a location in Trussville that’s expanding this year, as well as a new location in Liberty Park, there’s a convenient spot and lots of class offerings to get your year off on the right foot. Turn to page 12 to learn more. Small adjustments can lead to big changes, and one of the best ways to get your family’s day started successfully is with a filling breakfast. But adding one more thing to the morning to-do list is overwhelming, so we’re here to help. Beginning on page 24, registered dietician Holley Grainger offers options to fuel your family without adding extra stress or chaos to the morning routine. And if you don’t feel like whipping up meals at home this month—or you just want to grab a delicious lunch that you didn’t pack yourself—stop by one of Ashley Mac’s five locations for an array of dinner choices from their freezer case. From pastas to chicken casseroles, sides, breads, and desserts, you can feel good about what you’re putting on the table for dinner and save yourself time in the kitchen. It’s a New Year’s win-win. Serve it on leftover holiday paper plates, and your kids will gladly “do the dishes” after they’re done. Follow us for more family and parenting hacks! Speaking of food, this month we feature an organization—FeedBHM, in partnership with Grace Klein Community—that is dedicated to eliminating waste by rescuing food from restaurants and grocery stores. The food instead goes to families in the area experiencing food insecurity. To date, they have saved over 1 million pounds of food waste from landfills! Learn more on page 28. We also hear from Altamont School student Meghan Goyal and her work with Stop the Bleed UAB (page 30), as well as Gone for Good, a part of United Ability that provides purposeful jobs while helping you securely shred sensitive documents (page 22). These are just a few of the great stories you’ll find in this issue, and we’d love to hear from you if you have other ideas. Happy New Year from Bham Family to you!
Stephanie Gibson Lepore, Content Director and Mom, stephanie@jbmcmedia.com
4 Bham Family January 2022
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RECYCLE RECYCLE ME! ME!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
18
22
Just for Dads Ward Williams gives advice. p. 8 Essay Sean of the South is gone fishin’. p. 10 Active Living Martial arts classes develop coordination and mental strength. p. 12 Arts & Entertainment Acting Out! Academy focuses on kids and adults. p. 14
24
Food Breakfast ideas to start the morning right. p. 24 Kids Who Shine Meghan Goyal works with Stop the Bleed UAB. p. 30
FEATURE STORIES
Food Review Ashley Mac’s will please the entire family. p. 18
Gone for Good Local organization shreds your sensitive documents and provides purposeful jobs, too. p. 22
Schoolhouse Update from the Hoover School District. p. 20
Feeding the Magic City FeedBHM seeks to eliminate food waste. p. 28 ON THE COVER
Cover photo courtesy of FeedBHM FeedBHM, the food rescue program of Grace Klein Community, is dedicated to ending community hunger. The organization’s volunteers rescue food from local restaurants and grocery stores to help eliminate food waste, while also providing for those experiencing food insecurity in Birmingham. They have provided food support to other families, rescuing over 1 million pounds of food in 2021. Food that would otherwise been dumped at landfills instead made its way into the hands of families in need. Bham Family January 2022 7
JUST FOR DADS In Sweden, there was once a Museum of Failure showcasing products that have been anything but successful. (The permanent location is now closed, and the museum is currently a traveling exhibit; museumoffailure.com.) Many of these items are from ultra-successful corporations who have rolled out new ideas outside Ward their areas of expertise and Williams mission, such as Colgate’s beef lasagna. As American consumers, we are always on the search for new and improved. According to an article by Nichole Martins Fereria featured on Oberlo.com, the 15 best new products of the year included USB hidden cameras, rainbow flatware, bio magnetic ear stickers for weight loss, hair removal epilator, and mini eye massage device. It is hard for me to believe any of these items are ever needed, much less the best products invented for the year. Who measures if Tide really cleans better than it did in any of its other hundred versions of new and improved? Do you think Tide really washes better than it did 10 years ago? How do I know if my dog is really enjoying the “better” version of its dog food? Who decides if something really has improved? The beginning of the year sets off a wave of self-improvement goals and promises. Gym memberships are up, the workout clothes are moved to the front of department stores, new commitments are made to relationships, healthy food is purchased, credit cards are destroyed, and goals are set for the new and improved you. New Year’s resolutions mainly involve two different categories: One is things to quit doing, and the other is things to start doing. As we look into what to quit doing and what to start doing, we need to remember that, yes there is value in searching for new ways of doing things, but this doesn’t necessarily mean we give up the time-tested truth and values that have worked for generations. Just because it didn’t work last year doesn’t mean that you won’t be successful this year. For example, everyone said Jim Harbaugh,
8 Bham Family January 2022
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM MOSSHOLDER ON UNSPLASH
the football coach at the University of Michigan, had lost his touch and should be fired. He was able to turn things around this year and finished the 2021 season as the Big 10 conference champion. Sometimes, success is just sticking with things a little longer. Galatians 6:9 says: “Let’s us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Keep pressing on even when it seems that your ideas have entered the failure museum.
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ESSAY
THE GREAT BAY
BY SEAN OF THE SOUTH (SEAN DIETRICH)
The world is a dang mess. And I have gone fishing. It’s been a long time since I’ve held a rod in my hands. Too long. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I sat on this overturned five-gallon bucket, perched upon the shore of this Choctawhatchee Bay, staring at this water. Some people don’t understand fishing. Take my wife. She can’t figure out why any rational man would spend hours on a bucket not talking. She says it’s boring. Boring? No. To go fishing is to embark upon a great intellectual competition, attempting to outsmart the cleverest creature on earth. You might not think fish are intelligent, but believe me, they are much smarter than humans. A redfish, for instance, would never drain his kid’s college fund to purchase a 17-foot Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW boat package simply to go catch his limit of humans. Today I came to this bay because earlier I was watching the news and it made me sick to my stomach. The headlines du jour were giving me literal palpitations. The irony is that I was having a pretty good day until I saw the state of our world. You have to worry about us sometimes. So, I packed my tackle and left. And I’m glad I did because bay water can work wonders on a man’s soul. Try to visualize this. I am looking at 129 square miles of brackish, blue water that spans two counties and has a watershed that covers roughly 3,339,632 acres. Out here there are no radios, no screens, no phones. No traffic. No billboards. I only have a rod, a bucket, and the ghosts of my ancestors. Fishing. 10 Bham Family January 2022
I come from a long line of fishermen. Most were mediocre anglers, but others were gifted like my uncle Ray Ray. Uncle Ray Ray could communicate with fish through extra sensory techniques. Sadly, the only message he could send was: “Don’t come near me.” His gift, I’m told, also worked on the ladies. My grandfather was also an avid line-wetter. The rod I’m holding was his. It dates back to 1933. The old man would have purchased this fishing pole at age 22 via a mail-order catalog for $6. These rods came with cheap reels, cork handles, and a guarantee to “last a lifetime.” This one has lasted 88 years, which is pretty close. The major selling point was that this rod is all steel and can be disassembled to be carried in a small canvas bag. Thus, it could be used on lunch breaks, before hot dates, after church service, or during. A young man like my grandfather would have assembled this rod and retreated to the water’s edge for some meditation. Which is all fishing is. It’s meditation with an occasional beer. Although I’m not having any luck meditating today. It’s January. This bay is chilly from brisk northerly gusts that bounce off the still water and numb my nose like frozen hamburger. Which brings up an important point. The common misconception about Florida is that it’s always warm and sunny here. This is because in 1970 some marketing geniuses nicknamed Florida the “Sunshine State.” But the truth is our state should be called the “Overcast State.” Florida has more days per year in which the sun is blocked by 20 to 70 percent cloud coverage. That’s more than any state in the continental U.S. But you don’t print something like that on tourism brochures, or else tourists will CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
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start visiting Nevada to see Celine Dion. Neither should you advertise that Florida that has more lightning strikes than any other state. Nor should you brag about having the most cases of fatal snakebites. And you definitely shouldn’t tell tourists that Florida leads the league in rainfall. Oh, do we get rain. To give you an idea just how much: Seattle gets a whopping 38 inches of rain each year. Florida gets 54. But today isn’t about weather, nor about fishing. Not really. It was that I had to leave the house. I needed to breathe. To think. To be away from headline news. I came to the bay of my youth to forget that the world is angry right now. This is the same tranquil water where Creek natives once fished for their livelihood. Where beautiful black-haired maidens once dove for blue crabs and oysters. Where young men caught mullet with handwoven nets. This is also the same water where Spanish explorers like Ponce de León moored massive square-rigged ships in the 1500s, searching for a
fabled Fountain of Youth that would make his eyes less droopy and his buns firmer. Personally, I’ve often wondered if this bay isn’t the fountain Ponce was looking for. After all, this bay has outlasted everyone and everything. This ancient land withstood hurricanes that altered its shoreline. This place has endured colonization. It has somehow remained sturdy despite Revolutions, Civil Wars, yellow fever, Great Depressions, industrializations, World Wars, urban sprawls, and the cancer of tourism. And this water will outlast me, too. If that’s not eternal youth, what is? Today, however, the water is a reminder to me. A reminder that when this world gets frightening; when people of earth begin to rip each other apart; when mankind becomes plagued by pandemics and violence; this is not the end. Not as long as the beauty of this earth overwhelms the ugliness of it. Not as long as I have an antique rod and a few spoon lures. And even though I probably won’t catch a dadgum thing today, there is peace upon this water. Which is more than I can say for the rest of the world right now. And this is why a man goes fishing.
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Bham Family January 2022 11
ACTIVE LIVING
Making Moves
Birmingham School of Martial Arts classes teach self-defense and much more PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HEATHER POTTER
Heather Potter owns Birmingham Academy of Martial Arts with her husband, Will (they met in martial arts!). Together they have two locations: a soon-to-be-expanded Trussville studio, as well as a new Liberty Park location. Here, she shares the obvious and surprising benefits to practicing martial arts—for the whole family. Q: Tell us about yourself and when you started martial arts. A: I started training in the martial arts when I was 10 years old. My father had trained some when I was a kid. When I saw some kids in uniforms at the gym, I asked my parents to sign me up. I’ve been doing martial arts ever since. Fast-forward 11 years, and I was teaching at a school in Oak Mountain while attending college at BirminghamSouthern. My future husband, Will, started training at our school with his then-5-year-old daughter Lydia. Will was almost 30 years old then. We became friends and started dating almost three years later. I know—he married his karate teacher!
Q: When did you open the academy? A: When we were married, I was attending law school at the University of Alabama. Afterwards, we moved to Trussville and started our martial arts school. Owning a school was always my dream; however, my parents thought that smart kids (like me) were supposed to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers. I felt a lot of pressure to do one of those things. After a couple of years of running a part-time school while still practicing law, I asked my husband if I could quit law and open the school full-time. He said, “Go for it!” That is how Birmingham Academy of Martial Arts (BMA) was started. My husband was in IT at AT&T. After a year and a half, he quit his job CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
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to join me in our business full-time. Our school has always been a family martial arts academy. All of our kids train—three of them are black belts! I am currently a 6th degree master belt, and my husband is a 5th degree master belt. Q: What types of classes does BMA offer? A: We have traditional martial arts classes for students 3.5 years old and up. We have youth-only classes, as well as family classes and teen/adultsonly classes. We also offer a Krav Maga class for teens and adults, which is a self-defense and fitness-focused program. Q: What are the benefits of taking martial arts? A: The most obvious is self-defense. But while many people think of only physical techniques, there are additional aspects of behavior and conduct that help keep people safe: Carrying yourself with confidence and compassion. Being alert and aware of the dangers around you. Staying calm in the face of crisis. All of these can allow you to make the decisions and choices that will result in keeping yourself and your families safe. The most important part of our program is our belief that everyone deserves to feel respected, and we strive to make sure that every student feels that they can accomplish great things with enough effort. Q: When did you know it was time to expand? A: We opened the Trussville school more than 16 years ago while I was studying for the Alabama State Bar exam. We had such a large group of instructors that we decided to expand our program and open a second location. We started
working on the new location back in February 2021, and we opened in Vestavia Hills in Liberty Park last fall. Our Trussville location has grown so much since recovering from Covid that we knew we needed to expand. So, last June, I started working with our landlord to secure another bay for the Trussville location. We are set to move into the new space next month. Q: Anything exciting happening this month? A: For New Years, we will be highlighting our Parent Month (a focus on helping parents with those New Year’s fitness and health goals), as well as focusing our student programs on Goal Setting in the New Year. Q: What is something about 2021 that made you proud? A: Two of our students (and our youngest children) have been competing in super-regional and national tournaments. Our son, James, who is 6 years old and an adoptee from Korea, competed in 2021 as a beginner. He brought home numerous first places, including six first places at a national tournament in Minnesota with more than 1,500 competitors. He has also won six 9 and under Beginner Grand Champion Titles. Our 9-year-old daughter, Nora, competed in 2021 as an advanced belt. She had a tougher division than James but has brought home numerous first and second place trophies, as well as two 9 and under Intermediate/Advanced Grand Champion awards. Competing at this level has taught our children the value of hard work, practice, and setting BIG goals. For more information about Birmingham Academy of Martial Arts, visit bhammartialarts.com. Bham Family January 2022 13
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MEG DEUSNER
Time to Shine Actress-turned-coach guides local students into the spotlight
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Meg Deusner got bitten by the acting bug early, starring in a community theater production of Annie at age 10. After that, “I never stopped,” says Meg. From her home state of Connecticut, she was Boston-bound for school at Emerson College, then on to study at Stella Adler Conservatory in New York City. “After school, I moved to LA,” she says. “But it was the same old story, and I just never got my big break.” Though her big break never came in LA, Meg did meet her now-former husband there, got married, and decided to leave the bright lights of Hollywood behind to start their family. “I had 14 Bham Family January 2022
never been to the South, but he had family in Birmingham and after getting a job here at a local law firm, we moved in 2010,” she says. After the birth of her first child in Birmingham in 2011, Meg found herself craving a creative outlet. “I had always loved kids, so I decided to start teaching acting,” she says. “I started with two students, but it quickly grew and now we teach more than 200 kids a year in classes, camps, and workshops.” Of the atmosphere that she wanted to cultivate, Meg explains that she had a terrible experience with a negative acting coach when she was young, and it nearly caused her to quit CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
OFFERINGS FROM ACTING OUT! ACADEMY •
Classes: Offered weekly classes for all ages. Classes are $290/session or $97/ month with payment plans available. Classes are designed for all experiences, and all skill levels are welcome.
•
Workshops: Agent and casting director workshops are available on select Saturdays and run between $100 and $150.
•
Privates and self-tape auditions: Actors can book time slots with acting professionals online ($45-$125)
Summer Camps •
Movie Camp: Runs several weeks in the summer where students star in their own movie! Filmmakers write an original film, produce it throughout the week, and have a red carpet premiere on Friday ($375).
•
Summer Film Acting Academy: “This is the camp I wish I had as a young actor,” says Meg. Students study in a conservatory-style training program Monday—Thursday, taking classes in on-camera acting, improv, voiceovers, commercial acting, business of the business, stunts, and more. “Instructors come in from all over the country,” she explains. “Students then get the unique opportunity to participate in a showcase for top industry agents, managers, and casting directors. Many of our students get representation and real acting jobs from this showcase.” ($675)
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altogether. That run-in marked her, and she knew it wasn’t what she wanted to give back. “I wanted to create a nopressure, safe environment for kids to learn, flourish, and be brave enough to not fear failing. The goal was to lift kids up through the performing arts. Our motto is “Be truthful, be kind, and make great art,’ ” she says. Another motto is maybe a bit less expected: “Our technique is simple,” says Meg. “Stop acting.” Students at Acting Out! learn from an 11-step process they call the Onion, which helps actors shed “performing.” “When we watch film and TV, we like to believe it is happening. And for the audience to believe, the actors have to, too. Good acting is mimicking real life,” she says. “We teach students to strengthen and use their imaginations to have real experiences between “action” and “cut,” rather than pretend something is happening.” Her students caught on quickly. “Our first one to “make it” was Hannah
Follow Acting Out! Academy on social media: • • •
facebook.com/actingoutacademy @megdeusner on TikTok @actingoutbham on Instagram
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Alligood, who, after appearing in Paper Towns, went on to be a series regular on Better Things on FX. She also appeared in the last Apple ipad commercial and the last season of Chicago Med.” It wasn’t long before Meg and Acting Out! became a hub for talented actors in the southeast. “Agents around the country began to scoop up our Birmingham students. And many students followed in Hannah’s footsteps,” says Meg, who herself has made recent appearances on Karma, Castle Falls, and Homicide Hunter, to name a few. Meg’s students can be seen in the Netflix special, The Walton’s Homecoming Netflix special, (lead), Stranger Things, Ozark, House Of Cards, Stargirl, Creepshow, Better Things, Baby Driver, Black Panther, Hidden Figures, Shut Eye, Outcast, Criminal Minds, American Housewife, Klaus, Young Sheldon, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, and more. “This past year alone— even during Covid!—we have had appearances in Cobra Kai, Chicago Med, Fear Street, three Lifetime movies, three roles in the Spike Leeproduced Son of The South, and Pen15 on Hulu.”
DENTISTRY FOR INFANTS, CHILDREN, TEENS, AND THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Coming up soon are more appearances on Stranger Things, three roles on Showtime’s The First Lady, The CW’s Legacies, several Lifetime films, “and two projects we can’t talk about yet,” teases Meg. “But they are going to be a big deal when the press breaks on them!” “And these are all kids out of our little academy,” she continues. “Regular kids from Birmingham and around the country who had never done on-camera acting before coming to my school.” The school that began with just two students and a former actress who needed a creative outlet has grown into an academy with students from all over the country, taught by a nationally recognized acting coach who was voted Best Acting Coach in the Southeast by Showbiz Kids In The Southeast (SKITS). “To say it is a dream come true would be the understatement of the year,” says Meg. “We are more than just a school. We are a community, a family, and a safe space for everyone to feel comfortable being exactly who they are. I am grateful every day.” For more information about Acting Out! Academy, visit actingoutacademy.com.
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FOOD REVIEW
The Little Cafe with Everything Ashley Mac’s offers sandwiches, salads, to-go dinners, and plenty of choices for kids
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Kid’s meal choices include chicken salad, PB&J, grilled chicken, and more, plus a side and a brownie. The apple-havarti sandwich can be made with ham or turkey and pairs well with the crunchy, tangy broccoli slaw. Don’t forget to grab a sweet treat! Mini cupcakes, cake by the slice, specialty cookies, and brownies are available. Ashley Mac’s Café in Cahaba Heights The gourmet-to-go freezer stays stocked with everything you need to make a meal and more. By now, the little catering company that started
ASHLEY MAC’S LOCATIONS Cahaba Heights: 3147 Green Valley Road 35242 Homewood: 1831 28th Avenue South Suite N101 35209 Riverchase: 4730 Chace Circle #100 35244 Inverness: 5299 Valleydale Road 35242 Downtown: Pizitz Food Hall, 1821 2nd Avenue North 35203
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out offering frozen dinners to go has grown into a full-fledged café-and-catering business that spans five Birmingham locations. With restaurants in Cahaba Heights, Homewood, Inverness, Riverchase, and downtown at the Pizitz, you can surely find an Ashley Mac’s in a neighborhood close to you. And you definitely should! With a variety of soup, sandwich, and salad options to mix-andmatch, you could eat here for a week straight and still not have the same thing twice. While I am partial to the apple-havarti sandwich with turkey on wheatberry bread—with just-right amounts of honey mustard and balsamic—I always sneak a bite of my daughter’s chicken salad, too. When it’s my turn for a chicken salad fix, I alternate between the classic scoop with crackers and the melt: a thick spread of chicken salad on a buttery croissant, melted with Swiss cheese. Side options range from fruit to chips to specialty salads like Greek pasta, broccoli slaw with sugared almonds and a tangy dressing, macaroni and cheese, or fresh fruit. Seasonal soups are on rotation as well. One of my favorite year-round salads is the mandarin orange, which comes with sugared almonds, green onions, and feta cheese. Add a portion of grilled chicken for a filling meal; it goes well with the salad’s Dijon vinaigrette. If you prefer a hot lunch, opt for a poppyseed chicken and rice plate or the spinach and feta tart. Both are excellent. One thing I love about the South is our ability to make anything a salad, and Ashley Mac’s does it right. You can do a salad trio plate, choosing from chicken salad, pimento cheese, the Cahaba salad, fresh fruit, and more, served with crackers and one of their famous sour cream biscuits. And if that’s still not enough choice for you, go with the “choose two” option, where you can pick a half-sandwich, side salad, or soup of the day. My daughter has been a fan of the chicken salad ever since she pushed away her grilled cheese in favor of mine before she turned 2 years old. But if your kids aren’t chicken salad aficionados, there’s still quite a spread for them, too: sandwiches like grilled cheese and turkey and cheese, chicken salad on bread, croissant, or with
crackers, grilled chicken, or macaroni and cheese plus a side. All meals come with a decadent triple chocolate brownie (it’s enough for a mom tax bite!) and kid favorite WikkiStix moldable wax sticks. They’ll keep your little ones entertained while you eat in peace. Perhaps one of the biggest and most delicious draws of Ashley Mac’s is their gourmet-to-go freezer, chockfull of casseroles, frozen sides, and breads. The favorite at our house is chicken and wild rice casserole, brown sugar bacon green beans, and sour cream biscuits. Other customer faves include poppyseed chicken and rice, baked ziti, chicken tetrazzini, baked beef stroganoff, and much more. The best-selling green beans are delicious comfort food; more side offerings are baked cheese grits, cheesy twice-baked mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and squash casserole. You can also grab quart sizes of soup (chicken noodle, tomato basil, white chicken chili) and pints and quarts of chicken salad, pimento cheese, pasta salad, fruit, and other prepared salads—the kind with a lettuce base. Hosting a brunch? Need to feed your fam on a cold Saturday morning? Grab a bag of sausage balls (3 dozen) and a pan of hot ham and Swiss mini sandwiches from the freezer. Super Bowl Sunday? Pick up the hot spinach and bacon dip and mushroom puffs. Frozen rolls and sour cream biscuits are also available. During holidays—Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas— Ashley Mac’s offers gourmet bundles that include all the trimmings and will make your feast a perfect ten. Leave room for a slice of Ashley Mac’s famous strawberry cake or a mini cupcake—you can purchase a half or whole dozen in one or assorted flavors (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry). Cookie flavors rotate every so often, but you can always pick up a triple chocolate brownie or almond shortbread bar; both pair well with coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up. Ask me how I know. Oh, and here’s a hot tip: Thanks to her husband, Ashley finally put a burger on the menu a while back. Named after her spouse, the Andy Mac Burger is only available Friday and Saturday, and it’s well worth the weekly wait. A double patty is topped with Havarti cheese, Poppy’s Pickles, and chop sauce and served on a brioche bun. Visit ashleymacs.com for more information. Bham Family January 2022 19
S C H O O L H O U S E NEWS FROM HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS
Greystone teacher receives grant Greystone Elementary School teacher Shay Higginbotham received a $1,000 grant from CBS 42’s One Class at a Time program. Higginbotham says she’ll use the funds to purchase STEAM supplies for her students to do hands-on and engaging activities in the classroom
Berry Middle cuts ribbon on new classroom wing After breaking ground on a new 13-classroom addition in December 2019, Berry Middle School employees, Hoover City Schools administrators, and elected officials officially cut the ribbon for the new wing in November. The expansion project was necessary due to the significant student population growth at Berry, which was almost at full capacity in 2019. The school’s enrollment is approximately 1,150 students and with the new addition, there is room for more than 1,300 students. Former Berry Middle School principal Dr. Chris Robbins says it was so exciting to be a part of and witness this building project. “Even already, this expansion has allowed us to do many of the things that we have always wanted to do but simply didn’t have the space. In previous years we have had several teachers who were sharing classrooms and didn’t have a classroom of their own. This addition will allow each of our teachers to have their own space.” 20 Bham Family January 2022
S C H O O L H O U S E NEWS FROM HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS
Board makes new hires The Hoover City Schools BOE has hired or appointed several people to key roles in the system. Julie Ann Kent, who previously served as nurse at Trace Crossings Elementary, has been named the District Lead Nurse. Dr. Chris Robbins, formerly the Berry Middle School principal, has been named District Chief Learning Officer. Tim Vakakes has been hired as Spain Park High School’s new head football coach, after serving in the same role at JacksonOlin High School in Birmingham for nine years. Dr. Amanda Giles, formerly an ELL teacher at Simmons Middle School, has been named an assistant principal at Simmons.
Julie Ann Kent
Dr. Chris Robbins
Tim Vakakes
Dr. Amanda Giles
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FEATURE
Service with a Purpose Gone for Good securely shreds documents while providing meaningful jobs
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BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE You may already be familiar with United Ability, an over-70-year-old nonprofit that provides services to connect people with disabilities with their communities in empowering ways. But if you’re not, a bit of background: Originally founded as Spastic Aid, the organization was established in 1948 by a group of people to provide services to individuals with cerebral palsy. More than two decades later, in 1972, the nonprofit changed its name to United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham, incorporating aid to those living with other types of disabilities, as well. The organization wanted to offer more comprehensive services and made that a reality in 2001 with a move to its 20-acre Lakeshore Drive campus. Later renamed United Ability, the new 22 Bham Family January 2022
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF UNITED ABILITY
title reflects the organization’s “service to persons with all types of disability, and United Ability now offers a full spectrum of services not found anywhere else statewide.” United Ability “envisions a world where disability is neither defining nor limiting and also help unite people with unique abilities in achieving a successful future.” A worthy endeavor that includes programs for both children and adults, like Hand in Hand Early Learning, Ability Clinic, LINCPoint Adult Day Program, and Gone for Good. “Gone for Good was established in 2006 to provide meaningful employment to the individuals we serve while also providing additional revenues for the organization,” says Abe Bernstein, Director of Enterprises for CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
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United Ability/Gone for Good. Gone for Good provides secure shredding and destruction services to central Alabama. Their mission is to create meaningful employment for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, while these employees provided a needed service to the community. Gone for Good daily employs approximately 60 individuals, providing both learning and earning opportunities that improve their quality of life. Services included document shredding, e-waste recycling services for items like computers and cell phones, outsource solutions for tasks such as packaging, kitting, and sorting. Gone for Good works with individuals as well as with businesses in the financial sector, hotels, legal firms, insurance, healthcare, and government. To ensure security, Gone for Good is NAID AAA-certified, the highest available designation for secure document destruction businesses. As a part of this rigid certification, all employees must pass criminal background checks and drug screenings, as well as undergo confidentiality training. The organization is also HIPPA compliant, and the facility and equipment is subject to annual and unscheduled inspections.
“We have route trucks that service our 940-plus customer base, and we also offer drop-off service at our location for a fee,” says Abe. Pricing is based on different parameters. At the facility, you’ll find employees handling such jobs as shredding papers, completing fulfillment projects—packaging or kitting, baling cardboard—and disassembling electronics. Abe says the company received around 2,288,000 pounds of documents and e-waste in 2021. “We are committed not only to the people we serve, but also to the people we hire.” For more information, visit uagoneforgood. com.
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FOOD
Quick Breakfasts for Busy Mornings Don’t start the day on an empty stomach. These simple recipes will set you up for success.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HOLLEY GRAINGER
Bacon, Veggie, and Egg Stuffed Potatos, left, and Blueberry-Lemon Mini Oatmeal Muffins, right, are great breakfast options.
BY HOLLEY GRAINGER, MS, RD Some mornings are about survival. There’s enough crazy that happens around here before 8 a.m. that breakfast should be a no-brainer. But, just like me, I have a hunch that you are probably in the same place—especially on a school morning—running in circles trying to get your children out the door with shoes on, teeth brushed, and stomachs fed. Most mornings, breakfast happens right when we wake up, so we head to the table for fuel before we face the rest of the day. While our breakfast choices vary from morning to morning, and because we move anything but quickly in the a.m., we need something fast and nutritious. Some breakfast ideas that I make often and keep on-hand are hard-cooked eggs in the oven and mini crustless quiches cooked with veggies, cheese, and meat. I “big batch” the recipes on the weekend and save them to eat throughout the week. 24 Bham Family January 2022
HARD-COOKED OVEN EGGS Because oven temperatures and taste preferences vary, make sure to test-bake some eggs in the oven to find the perfect temp and time for you. (I like baking at 325°F for 23 minutes but my girls like the yolks a little more done, so I usually bake for 25 minutes.) Place eggs in a dry muffin tin in a preheated oven. (I bake at either 350° for 22 minutes or 325° for 25 minutes. Note that you do not need to fill up the muffin cups with water or spray with cooking spray.) Once eggs have baked, transfer them to a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. This will stop the cooking process and prevent eggs from overcooking. Note that the eggs may have brown spots on the shell after baking. Also, the egg may have a small brown spot where it set in the pan. It is nothing to worry about! Crack one of the eggs gently on the counter and gently pull peel off. (Tip: Use eggs that have been in your fridge for at least a week. They peel better.) CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
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MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST BURRITOS I’ve found that having simple breakfast meals in the freezer ensures we have a balanced and delicious morning meal that is ready to eat in minutes. These grab-and-go burritos are freezerfriendly making them an easy and delicious way to start the day. Allow ingredients to cool at least 10 minutes before assembling. Once everything is room temperature or cooler, start with cheese as the first layer against the tortillas so it acts as a protective barrier from the moisture of the eggs and vegetables. Then, fold burritos and wrap individually in foil. Transfer wrapped burritos to a baking sheet and freeze in a single layer. Once completely frozen, store in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months. Transfer frozen breakfast burritos to the fridge the night before you plan to reheat. This will allow them to slowly defrost, resulting in a speedier cook time in the morning. In this case, microwave burritos (without foil wrap) for 30 seconds on each side or until warmed through, or bake at 350° for 10 minutes
or until heated through. If reheating from frozen, microwave on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until heated through. Customize your breakfast burritos by using large flour tortillas, scrambled eggs, and some of these ingredient combinations. • Southwestern Breakfast Burritos: scrambled eggs, canned tomatoes with green chilis (drained), black beans, chopped ham, cilantro, cheddar cheese • Veggie Breakfast Burritos: scrambled eggs, sautéed zucchini, onion, corn and CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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squash, rice, parsley Spicy Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Burritos: scrambled eggs, lean ground spicy sausage, jalapeños, shredded pepper Jack cheese Mediterranean Breakfast Burritos: scrambled eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, olives, basil, feta cheese
BLUEBERRY-LEMON MINI OATMEAL MUFFINS Each batch yields 24 two-bite muffins, so make a double batch and freeze the extras. ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour ½ cup uncooked oats ¼ tsp cinnamon ⅛ tsp salt ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ½ cup Greek yogurt (2% is preferred) ¼ cup applesauce 1 egg ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract) lemon, zested and juiced ⅓ cup brown sugar ⅔ cup blueberries Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Combine yogurt, applesauce, egg, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Pour the bowl with the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour mixture into a greased muffin pan. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick can be cleanly removed from the muffin. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan. BACON, VEGGIE, AND EGG STUFFED POTATOS 2 small-medium Russet potatoes ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided) ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 4 large eggs 2 bacon slices (cooked and chopped) ¼ cup chopped asparagus Wash, dry and poke holes in potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes or until cooked, turning halfway through. Remove from microwave, slice in half, and allow to slightly cool. Scoop out insides of each potato half leaving 26 Bham Family January 2022
a ¼-inch border. Sprinkle each half with ½ tablespoon cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer potato skins onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Crack one egg into each potato half. Sprinkle evenly with chopped bacon, asparagus, and remaining cheese. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes or until whites are set and yolks are soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. CRANBERRY-PECAN BREAKFAST COOKIES These “cookies” are made with better-for-you ingredients like whole grains, healthy fats, and fresh fruit. Plus, they’ll leave you feeling energized and ready to tackle the day. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth a little more, a dash of brown sugar would add the perfect depth of flavor. They’re also freezer-friendly. Pop one in the microwave while you’re loading up the car, grab a drink, and you have yourself a delicious and quick meal. 2 cups old fashioned oats (divided) ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp baking powder ¾ cup milk 2 ripe bananas (mashed) ½ cup nut butter 2 tbsp honey ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup dried cranberries ½ cup pecan pieces Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse 1 cup oats into oat flour in a blender or food processor. Combine oat flour with 1 cup old fashioned oats in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in baking powder and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the bowl; set aside. Combine mashed bananas, ¾ cup milk, nut butter, honey, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Stir together until ingredients are fully mixed. Add banana mixture to oat flour mixture. Stir until ingredients are combined. Gently stir in dried cranberries and pecan pieces and combine until evenly distributed through mixture. Scoop out mixture onto baking sheet with large spoon or ice cream scoop and gently press down with fork. Bake for 15 minutes before removing from oven, allowing to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack to continue to cool. Eat immediately or store in air-tight container for 3-5 days.
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Bham Family January 2022 27
FEATURE
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FEEDBHM
Rescuing Food & Families FeedBHM volunteers partner with local establishments to reduce food waste
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Grace Klein Community (GKC) is a 12-year-old nonprofit based in Hoover, and the organization has long rescued food from local restaurants and grocers, instead delivering it to families across Birmingham and the state. However, notes Rachel Petry, FeedBHM Junior Board Sponsor, “The volume and need for food dramatically increased during Covid in early 2020, and that is where the FeedBHM program was born.” FeedBHM is the Food Rescue program of GKC. According to their website, “GKC is now in its 12th year of providing support through food rescue, repurposing and sharing to support 28 Bham Family January 2022
food-insecure families in the Birmingham area. In 2020, we rescued over $2 million worth of food donations. This rescued food would have been taken to landfills, but we are able to put that food in the hands of families in our community who need food assistance.” GKC notes that, in 2021, food insecurity still impacts more than three million people in the state—that’s 71% of the adult population and 29% of the child population, meaning one in five children faces hunger. The FeedBHM program was launched to help GKC strategically focus on food rescue CONTINUED ON PAGE 29
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growth in terms of both volunteers and food donation partners. GKC then coordinates the food distribution. Currently, GKC/FeedBHM rescues food seven days a week and organizes that food six days a week at six different drive-through locations in Birmingham. In addition, they work with more than 80 partners to distribute food across 40 counties in Alabama. Because of this—and more than 100 food donation partnerships—they have fed more than 38,000 homes and over 154,000 people. “We pick up food from bakeries, cafes, restaurants, grocers, farmers, and even large catered events,” says Rachel. “We have food rescue pickups 7 days a week from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. Almost every hour of the day, there are multiple pickups of rescued food happening across our Magic City.” She notes the key to success with rescued food is getting it into the hands of those who need it, so it can be consumed quickly. “We have a small staff that runs the food rescue operations,” Rachel explains. “The logistics and coordination of 700-plus volunteers rescuing 100,000-plus pounds of food each month is mission critical. We have a lean and mean staff who love the people of Birmingham and want to share the love that God has shown them.” Admitting that it’s hard to name just one (or even a few!) of the local businesses that support FeedBHM, Rachel says some of their most recent food rescue partners include Local Source Market, Pizza Grace, Fit Five Meals, BlueRoot, Heavenly Donut, Miami Fusion Cafe, Pappa’s Grill, The Joyful Food Co., Troups Pizza, Meals by Misty, Shipley’s Donuts, Mi Pueblo, The Homewood Gourmet, Gus’s Fried Chicken, and Birdsong Farmer’s Market. In 2021, the organization rescued more than one million pounds of food; in 2022, FeedBHM wants to double that number. “We are ramping up as a sustainability partner of The World Games. We are thrilled to be able to help support sustainability and grow food rescue here,” says Rachel. “We will need more volunteers to help us in July 2022 and beyond, and we also welcome financial support. We have ongoing operational facility costs including staff, refrigerators, freezers, and trucks. Our current campaign is Impact. FeedBHM.org.” More volunteers are key, so the organization was proactive in addressing the simplest way to attract new helpers. “During the pandemic, the need for food exponentially increased and GKC
wanted to be able to provide this resource for those experiencing food insecurity,” says Rachel. “We researched other food rescue agencies and platforms and in the first quarter of 2021, we launched a Food Rescue Web-App. This allows volunteers to select a food rescue pick-up on their own schedule and location. The Food Rescue App is like Uber for rescued food. It promotes a gigstyle approach to volunteering. An average rescue takes less than an hour and can result in about 100 pounds of food.” Interested volunteers can sign up through the web-app at App.FeedBHM.org, where they can check out the schedule and choose “I’ll try it” for a one-time food rescue, or “I’ll adopt it” to commit to a regular pick-up. “This is a great way to volunteer as a family!” notes Rachel. “We volunteer as a family every Sunday morning before church. Our kids help us box up the food and understand what it means to love a neighbor. It’s a fun way to spend time with family or friends or even a date. We love building community, and food rescue is one avenue to connect and help give back.” For more information, visit gracekleincommunity.com/feedbhm. Bham Family January 2022 29
KIDS WHO SHINE
MEGHAN GOYAL, 18
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Like many students at Birmingham’s Altamont School, current senior Meghan Goyal chose to participate in the Miree program, where a requirement is implementing a Miree Project based on individual interests that serve a need in the community. Meghan, the daughter of two Birmingham doctors, chose Stop the Bleed. The national program’s goal is “to make our nation more resilient by better preparing the public to save lives if people nearby are severely bleeding.” “I was born and raised in Birmingham,” says Meghan, “and I’ve always had a passion for understanding my community’s history and envisioning its future.” When she began to search options for her Miree Project, she decided to first ask herself a basic question: “What does my community need? I decided to pursue a project at the intersection of healthcare and public safety, which was Stop the Bleed. I partnered with the UAB branch of Stop the Bleed, which is run through the UAB Trauma Center, to provide professional training at Altamont for the entire faculty, as well as interested upper schoolers,” she explains. The campaign originated with the American College of Surgeons and Hartford Consensus, who aimed to teach people to control blood loss after an incident such as a shooting, explosion, or car accident, thus improving a victim’s survival chances until medical professionals can arrive on-scene. The number one cause of preventable death after injury is bleeding—a person can bleed to death in as little as five minutes. Stop the Bleed teaches bleeding control “quick actions” that can train bystanders to save a life: Call 911, Apply Pressure with Hands, Pack Wound and Press, and Apply Tourniquet. Meghan estimates about 20 upperclassmen joined the school’s faculty for the training, which entails an hour-long presentation of trained nurses and officials demonstrating how to properly apply a tourniquet. Trainees are also walked through the process of calling law enforcement/medical professionals, addressing the wound, and stabilizing the victim, she says. Training does not require recertification like CPR. One important piece of the organization’s efforts are its on-site trauma kits, which come 30 Bham Family January 2022
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MEGHAN GOYAL
Altamont student Meghan Goyal implemented training for teachers and other students in partnership with Stop the Bleed UAB.
with a tourniquet and various other tools and instructions for bleeding control. Meghan hosted a bake sale at Altamont and used the funds she raised to purchase five tourniquet kits that are now placed around the school. “It was my initial goal to train the entire upper school at Altamont and expand this education to schools in the Birmingham City School District,” says Meghan. “But I was unable to because of Covid.” Last March, Meghan recorded her Miree Defense, another requirement of every participant. “My defense consisted of a PowerPoint presentation that detailed my project—including its setbacks, successes, and what I wish I could have done—as well as a brief speech about how I have grown as a leader through the Miree Center,” says Meghan, who—though she hasn’t completely ruled out a career in medicine or health care—plans to major in political science and economics in college this fall. She goes on to explain that, because most upperclassmen who participated have graduated, or will graduate this year, “I hope to pass down this project so that the next round of faculty and high schoolers can be trained too.” For more information about Stop the Bleed, visit stopthebleed.org.
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TEENS — Have questions? Concerned about things? Just need someone to listen? Talking helps. Whether you are having a great day or a tough day, give us a call. We are here to listen. PARENTS — Think your teen might be involved with substance abuse? Have questions? Concerned about your teen? Wondering how to handle your teen’s choices? Just need someone to listen to you? Talking helps.
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