By Emily Williams
Though she grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, Bethany Reeves has made a home in Hoover and has forged a love of Birmingham through her participation in the AmeriCorps program.
“Birmingham feels like home now, in fact, Hoover feels almost exactly like my hometown,” Reeves said. “Sometimes I’ll drive on 280 and it feels just like I’m on Barret Parkway.”
Reeves, who participates in the AmeriCorps program affiliated with the YWCA Central Alabama, was named one of the program’s four Members of the Year at a graduation ceremony June 23.
Despite her success, Reeves joined the organization in a state of indecision. As her impending graduation from the University of Alabama approached in 2012, Reeves was faced with a plethora of career options open to a young professional with a bachelor of science in psychology.
Reeves initially wanted to become a genetic counselor, analyzing genetic testing results for couples to determine what hereditary obstacles the pair would be susceptible to or pass on to potential offspring.
“I quickly realized that it wasn’t the science side that I enjoyed. I was more interested in the counseling aspect and interacting with people one-on-one,” she said.
Overwhelmed by the many paths that lay in front of her, Reeves took to the university’s career website. She stumbled across a description of the YWCA’s AmeriCorps program and felt the position was perfect for her. Program participants commit one year of providing services to schools and centers that serve children experiencing homelessness or domestic violence.
“It’s an experience I would recommend to everyone,” Reeves said. “The pay is what it is. You get a stipend of about $1,000 a month, but it’s in an effort to put you on a similar level to the people you are serving. Plus, there are a lot of perks. They give you an education grant, health insurance, a 401K – it’s amazing.”
In her service, Reeves worked closely with the YWCA in a range of capacities, including an afterschool enrichment program. She said those interactions with the children are what stuck with her.
“One boy in particular had all of these worries and he would make these drawings of a cloud that he said he put all of his worries in,” Reeves said.
She listened to him as he spoke about his fears regarding sleep, clothes and food.
“A 5-year-old should be worrying about getting the prize in the cereal box, not where he is going to sleep tonight,” Reeves said.
Though she appreciated her hands-on interactions with community members who depend on the YWCA, she found she didn’t have the capacity to handle the emotions on a regular basis. After signing on for a second year of service, Reeves said she was thrilled to be hired out by an affiliate non-profit organization, Girls Inc.
“Through the program, I realized that I’m much better at managing volunteers and working on the organizational side of non-profit,” she said. “What’s great about it is that I still get a bit of that hands-on time with the girls.”
The organization provides a free after-school program to female students who attend schools throughout the Greater Birmingham area and offers educational activities that aid in empowering young women.
“People tend to assume that we serve only (the) city of Birmingham, but Girls Inc. doesn’t turn any girls away,” Reeves said. “We have girls coming from places like Homewood and Hoover and all over.”
Assistant Director of AmeriCorps for the YWCA Angela Moore said that when participants such as Reeves are hired out for full-time jobs, it’s the icing on the cake for her. Moore recruits year-round for the program and is trying to meet a goal of 40 members for the 2016-17 program year, beginning in September.
“These programs and services are so crucial to the people in our programs who need it most,” Moore said. “You’ve got to have passion and a vested interest in Birmingham.”
Moore said the YWCA’s program has seen participants from all over the country, including Hawaii, and a variety of ages. Participants must be at least 21, which Moore said leads people to believe it is only open to college grads, but she has had retired teachers and other people in transition graduate from AmeriCorps.
“We all have something to give,” Moore said. “There isn’t any need in this world that we, in Birmingham, aren’t equipped to meet or to render to other people who need our help.”
For more information on the YWCA of Central Alabama’s AmeriCorps program, visit ywcabham.org.
