Career and Technical Training Scholarships for Low-Income adults in Alabama

AOD Madison County Job Fair a Success!

AOD and the Heart of the Valley YMCA teamed to organize the first AOD Madison County Job Fair which targeted jobseekers without degrees.  The job fair was held Wednesday March 20th at the Southeast Family YMCA gym on Weatherly Road in Huntsville, AL.  45 employers, schools, and community groups participated.  About 400 jobseekers attended.  About a dozen kids of jobseekers were provided free childcare by the YMCA while their parents visited the job fair.  Sponsors of the job fair were Home Depot and Minuteman Press.  Thanks to Home Depot, Minuteman Press, Publix, Wal-Mart, and the U.S. Army for providing door prizes to jobseekers.

Thanks to our hard working job fair team:  Oriana Carter, Aimee Cripps, John Dunham, Lucille Gardner, Gary Mathis, LaDonna Mathis, Nedjra Russell,  Tony Russell, and Karol Waddell.

Thanks to the YMCA:  Scott Mounts, Beverly Snellgrove, Carole Forbes, Becky, Jeremy, Gary, and the rest of the staff at the Southeast Family YMCA

According to post-job fair surveys, ten job offers were made, 54 interviews were conducted at the job fair, and another 285 interviews will be scheduled with job fair attendees. 

Job fair participants were:

Alabama Credit Union

Alabama Mentor

Arc of Madison County

Athens State

Calhoun Community College

City of Huntsville Fire Department

City of Huntsville Police Department

Coast Personnel

Coca Cola Bottling Company

E.S.D Truck Driving School

HBW Insurance & Financial Services

Home Depot (N. Parkway store, S. Parkway store, Madison store)

Hospice Family Care

Huntsville Hospital

J. Hilburn Men's Clothier

J.F. Drake State Tech College

Kohl's Dept Store (Jones Valley)

LifeSouth Blood Bank

Lowe's Home Center

M&D Mechanical Contractors Inc.

Magnolia Trace Retirement Community

Manpower Personnel

Minuteman Press

MJLM Engineering and Technical Services

Neighborhood Outreach Program

North Alabama Center for Educational Excellence

Oakwood University

Qualitest Pharmaceuticals

Neighborhood Outreach Program

Rock Star Staffing

Satellites Unlimited Inc. (DISH Network)

Southern Hospitality Group (Best Western Plus, Hampton Inn Madison, Hampton Inn Huntsville)

Schneider National (Trucking company)

Spherion Staffing

Still Serving Veterans

Trivaren Health

U.S. Army Recruiter

U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary

U.S. Navy Recruiter

UAHuntsville

Visiting Angels

West Corporation

Wholly Man Labor (representing Safe Link)

Woody Anderson Ford

YMCA

Wesfam (9 Madison County Burger Kings) 

AOD Celebrates 1st Anniversary

AOD scholarship recipients, friends, and board members celebrated AOD's First Anniversary January 17th, 2013 at the Olive Garden in Huntsville.  We thank the Lord and our supporters!

Old TVs and Video Games Can Support AOD

Donate LCD or Plasma TVs - broken screen and non-working ok.  We'll sell for scrap or resale working units to fund our programs. 

Donate unwanted video game titles.  We'll resale on the used video game market to fund our programs. 

Tax deductible.  Call Gary at 256-541-3765 for pickup.

Thank you!

AOD Presentation to the ASTD

Thank you to the North Alabama Chapter of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) for inviting AOD to speak to them on Monday December 10th.  ASTD raised $305 for us at their meeting and provided a lot of helpful information.  You can learn more about ASTD at http://www.astdna.org/

If your church, business, or other organization would like a presentation about AOD's mission, activities, and needs, call Gary Mathis at 256-541-3765 to discuss.

Getaway to Kauai, Hawaii and Support AOD!

AOD has teamed with a travel provider to offer you special resort offers.  Proceeds from each purchase benefits AOD programs.  Our inaugural offer is 7 nights accomodation for up to 4 people in Kauai, Hawaii - price is $1,200.  We'll be offering this package through the end of the April 2013 and then a diferent destination  will be offered.  For more details, contact Gary at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 256-541-3765 to purchase and book your vacation. 

Aberdeen HS ROTC Drill Team Wins Trophy

The Aberdeen, Missisippi High School Air Force ROTC unit competed recently on November 3rd, 2012 in a drill and rifle competition in Oxford, Mississippi.  The Aberdeen "Bulldogs" brought home a 4th place trophy.  Congratulations!  AOD provided a $300 grant for bus transportation to the cadet corps.  AOD board member Lt Col Jeff Coggin (USAF, Retired) is their ROTC Instructor.

AOD Awarded Grants by Toyota

AOD is grateful to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL), Huntsville, Alabama, for awarding us two grants in 2012 totaling $5,000.  100% of these grants went to the Learn and Earn Scholarship program for Anita Williams and Mona Cato. 

AOD scholarships are most helpful for a student when the Pell Grant runs out.  Pell Grants are designed to last a student for two semesters per year.  Most colleges have three semesters per year.  The AOD Learn and Earn scholarship can help a student stay enrolled when Pell Grant funds are not there and not have to sit out a semester and delay their educational goals (which also delays their entry into the job market and a new well-paying career). 

Thank you Toyota!

Congratulations to Anita and Mona - AOD's first Scholarship Winners!

Congratulations to Anita Williams and Mona Cato, selected by AOD as our first Learn and Earn scholarship winners!  Anita is a Drake student in the Engineering Graphics program.  Anita lives in Huntsville with her teenage son and daughter.  Anita's scholarship will provide funds necessary to complete her final semester in the Summer of 2013 as well as some other living expenses along the way.   AOD also sent her two teens, Marucs and Mariah, to summer day-camp at Sci-Quest.  Mariah went to a video game programming camp and Marcus went to a robotics day-camp.

The Engineering Graphics Technology Program is an associate degree curriculum designed to prepare students for work in the mechanical, architectural or electronic drafting fields. Students start by changing or redrawing plans and advance to designing complete working drawings from preliminary sketches and specifications using Computer Aided Drafting Design (CAD) software systems. Additional training allows a student to calculate the strength, size and cost of materials.

Mona Cato's scholarship will get her started on the road to earning a certificate in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at J.F. Drake State Technical College.  Mona currently works with Alzheimer's patients as a nurse assistant at a local nursing home. 

What makes AOD's Learn and Earn program unique is that we consider helping scholarship recipients with normal living expenses on a case by case basis.  Expenses such as transportation, rent, utilities, and childcare go on regardless of whether or not a student has all of their tuition and other school expenses covered by a scholarship.  These expenses are often the difference betwen staying in school and quitting or stretching out an education program over a very long period of time.  The sooner a student can graduate with new skills, the sooner they can begin a good paying job in a new career.

For more about the Learn and Earn program, click here.

Help us fight poverty with scholarships by donating to AOD - click here. 

Anita - Engineering Graphics, expected graduation Summer semester 2013

Anita's kids:  Marcus (Robotics summer day-camp at Sci-Quest 2012) and Mariah (Video Game Programming summer day-camp at Sci-Quest 2012)

Mona - Licensed Practical Nursing Program at Drake State, expected graduation Fall semester 2014

Donate an Unwanted Vehicle to Benefit AOD

Do you have an unwanted vehicle (car, truck, boat, RV)?  You can donate it running or not, and its sales proceeds will benefit  AOD.  Click here and scroll to the bottom to learn more. 

Manufacturing Careers in the U.S.

Read about manufacturing careers and myths about factory jobs here.  AOD's Learn and Earn program will be helping low-income adults in the Huntsville, Alabama area get the training to qualify for jobs in manufacturing / factory careers and others.  Consider a donation to AOD and help provide training for a job that will enable someone to break out of poverty.

First AOD Reception and Silent Auction held May 18, 2012

AOD held its first fundraiser, the AOD Reception and Silent Auction on May 18th, 2012.  Over $1,500 after expenses was raised for scholarship funds for low-income families.  The event was conducted at Central Presbyterian Church's Cooper House in downtown Huntsville.  Dr. Helen McAlpine, President of J.F. Drake State Technical College in Huntsville, was the guest speaker.  Famous Joe's Pizza provided great food, Publix donated a sheet cake, and several businesses and artists donated items for the silent auction.  A Bear Bryant portrait, several restaurant meals, other art pieces, and a Sedona, Arizona resort stay were among the items auctioned for scholarships.  Cameron Williams provided background music on acoustic guitar.  Joel Bridges was our Master of Ceremonies.  Thank you to all of our attendees, volunteers,  and donors!

These photos were taken by Dave Dieter of the Huntsville Times:

Dr. Johnny McAlpine, Dr. Helen McAlpine, Carola McAlpine-Franklin, and Shoan Franklin

Nedjra Russell, Tony Russell, Allysia Russell

Devon Cruschow, Jacob Bridges, Joel Bridges, Christine Bridges

Michele Biletski, Larry Biletski, Julie Dean, Gary Mathis

Kaitlyn Mathis, artist Kristie Frazier (see more of her work at www.hunsvillegrapevine.com), Elizabeth Brinkley, and Hannah Dean

Silent Auction Item donors include:

Falcon List

Thirty-One distributor, Paulakay Lane

Winchester Family Medical Center (Winchester Drive)

Greenbrier Restaurant / Catfish Inn

Shaggy's Restaurant

Auto Zone (Hughes Road, Madison)

Mellow Mushroom Pizza (Providence and Jones Valley)

Moe's Original Barbeque (Providence)

Window World of Huntsville (Sportsman Drive)

Carlisle Gallery (801 Holmes Avenue, Hunsville)

Westin Hotel (Bridge Street, Huntsville)

Minuteman Press (Sparkman Avenue)

Green Haven Creek Bed and Breakfast (Tennessee0

Kathryn Vaughn, Artist

Kay McWhorter, Artist

LC Kristie, Artist

Mickey Davis, Artist

Michelle Johnson, Licensed Massage Therapist

Southern Reproductions Furniture (Highway 72)

Southerland Station (Governors Drive)

O'l Heidelberg Restaurant (University Drive)

P.F. Chang's Restaurant (Bridge Street)

Which Wich (Madison Shopps)

Clem Tire Company (multiple locations)

Townhouse Gallery (Huntsville and Decatur)

Newk's

Casa Blanca

Mary Kay distributors Elaine Oakes and Robyn Schrock

Catbird Seat Garden Center

Movie Inspired by Space Camp true story on ABC

Click here to read about the Hallmark TV movie "A Smile as Big as the Moon" based on a true story about a teacher who brings a group of special education kids to Space Camp in 1988.  Starring actor John Corbett, the movie airs on ABC on January 29th.  Space Camp is a national treasure located in Huntsville, Alabama.  Click here to go to the offiical Space Camp site.  AOD is proud to be raising funds for low-income kids to attend Space Camp programs so that they expand their ideas about science, technology, educational achievement, and careers.

AOD Incorporated on January 17th, 2012

AOD filed its Articles of Incorporation with the Madison County Court system on January 17, 2012.  AOD now embarks on its mission as a Christian, faith-based non-profit organization to provide education and training opportunities for low-income families that reduce poverty and transform communities.  Pictured are attorney Joel Jaqubino, who guided us through the process, and board members Jeff Dennison, Gary Mathis, and Tony Russell.  Board member Jeff Coggin is not pictured due to being overseas on business travel.

Jaylen and Raul attend Aviation Day Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center

In August 2011, AOD founders teamed with the Lincoln Village Ministry to send Jaylen and Raul to Aviation Day Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.  They learned about being a fighter pilot, practiced in jet flight simulators, and got training in survival skills.  Jaylen and Raul also learned there is nothing that can keep them from their dreams.  AOD strives to motivate kids to reach for the stars!