Emily Branum, Symphony 30:“You Have to Ask Yourself, ‘If I Don’t Who Will?’”By Keysha DrexelJournal editorEmily Branum said growing up in Baton Rouge, La., gave her an appreciation for music, but it’s the Mountain Brook resident's love for her new hometown that motivates her to try to make the Birmingham metro area a better place to live.Branum, 36, a … [Read more...]
Robert MacArthur: ‘We Need to Really Commit to Our Community’
By Keysha DrexelJournal editorBefore he moved from Boston to Birmingham almost three years ago, Robert MacArthur saw firsthand the difference one person can make in the life of a struggling child.And now that he is on the junior board at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the 26-year-old said he’s using that firsthand experience to try to give back to students in … [Read more...]
Jennifer White: ‘I Can’t Imagine Not Being Involved’
By Keysha DrexelJournal editorIn the last year she has served on the junior board of Horizons School, Jennifer White said she's learned that there's more to real philanthropy than writing a check.The 35-year-old Vestavia Hills woman said by volunteering at the school in Birmingham that aims to help young people with intellectual disabilities learn how to live … [Read more...]
Tommy Mayfield: ‘A Good Education is a Gift’
By Keysha DrexelJournal editorWhen he first started volunteering at Cornerstone Schools of Alabama in 2009, Tommy Mayfield was a little uneasy about going out into the community and asking for money to help the school, he said.But the 32-year-old Mountain Brook resident said when he thought about the Cornerstone students he had met, any reluctance to do whatever … [Read more...]
Young Volunteers Work for Better Communities
With the start of the new year, many resolve to take better care of themselves by eating right and exercising more. But for a new generation of volunteers and philanthropists, the new year offers new opportunities to give back to others.In our Jan. 9 issue, we share the stories of four young philanthropists who are using their time and talents to make a difference. … [Read more...]