Alabama

Holly Frew: International aid worker ‘built’ in Alabama

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Holly Frew (Photo courtesy of CARE)

Meet Holly Frew, a communications officer for the humanitarian group CARE. I chat with her about her missionary and disaster relief trips in my latest piece for The Alabama Baptist.

Assisting with recovery efforts in Haiti following the destruction created by Hurricane Matthew is just one of the latest disaster areas in 37-year-old Holly Frew’s life.

The former Alabama Baptist serves as the emergency communications officer for Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), an international humanitarian organization based out of Atlanta. She attributes the preparation for her life’s work to her upbringing at home and as part of Gardendale First Baptist Church.

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Bates Turkey Farm: A tradition at Thanksgiving and year-round

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Bates Turkey Farm

Turkeys at the Bates farms are raised as free-range birds, which the family believes produces a higher-quality product. (Michael Cornelison)

Here’s my Alabama Living feature on Greenville, Alabama, mainstay Bates Turkey Farm:

After flying countless bombing missions in Europe during World War II, Bill Bates returned home and declared, “I never plan to stand in another line or ask anyone for a job.” Instead, he had one purpose in mind: To produce the finest turkeys ever to grace a table.

Many Alabamians are familiar with how the turkey farm business was started by Bill’s parents. In 1923, W.C. and Helen Hudson Bates, Bill’s mom and dad, received nine turkey eggs from his Aunt Mamie Bates as a wedding present. In 1935, with the Great Depression taking its toll on small farmers, this small gift became the source that saved the farm as the bank allowed the turkeys to be used as collateral. When Bill returned from the war, his parents needed help with the growing industry. He stayed, and the turkey business has grown significantly from those original eggs.

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Feeding the Hungry: Communities inspired by couple’s desire to feed the hungry

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Jim and Linda Jones lead a team of volunteers to feed nearly 3,000 children with a backpack of food 49 weeks a year.

Jim and Linda Jones lead a team of volunteers to feed nearly 3,000 children with a backpack of food 49 weeks a year.

For Alabama Living, I profiled the Alabama Childhood Food Solution charity:

Jim and Linda Jones have always worked to make a difference, both in the U.S. and abroad. But their effort now is concentrated on their northeast Alabama community.

Serving on 23 short-term mission trips around the world — in the U.S., Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Brazil — opened their eyes to hunger. But it was after a mission trip to Africa that Jim saw hunger within one mile of his home — in his own neighborhood.

Jim and Linda Jones lead a team of volunteers to feed nearly 3,000 children with a backpack of food 49 weeks a year.

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Feeding Hungry Children: Churches aid Alabama Childhood Food Solutions in feeding 3,000 children

/ Carolyn Tomlin / Leave a comment
Photo courtesy of Alabama Childhood Food Solutions

Photo courtesy of Alabama Childhood Food Solutions

The following is an excerpt from my Alabama Baptist article “Feeding Hungry Chidren: Churches aid Alabama Childhood Food Solutions in feeding 3,000 children.”

Jim Jones has spent a lifetime mak- ing a difference. When Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Birming- ham, was bombed in 1963, Jones was the nurse on duty. At that time, African-Americans were not admit- ted to UAB Hospital. But when ambulances arrived with injured and dying children on that fateful day, Jones decided to treat everyone. And because of his decision the hospital policy changed. One man made a difference that affected thousands who needed medical care in the years to come.

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