‘Miss America Serves’--- a national day of volunteer service presented by Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, will find titleholders from the 2015 Miss Alabama pageant in Montgomery, AL working with Habitat of Montgomery. The project, which will take place on Saturday, April 18th, will raise funds for the children’s hospitals in Birmingham and Mobile, while addressing the unique needs of Habitat for Humanity.
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the Habitat for Humanity build in Montgomery”, said Carson Smith, Miss Cahaba Valley. “In my life I have received so many blessings I feel that it is important to use my skills and abilities to help others in need. Community service brings a diverse group of people together to work towards a common goal and that is one of my favorite things about volunteering. It is so heartwarming knowing that at the end of the day, a family will not only have a house to live in but a place to call home”, she said. “They will have something to be proud of, a place to grow as a family, and create lasting memories. Not only is the Miss America Serves day helping Habitat for Humanity but we are also raising money for Children's Miracle Network. It is humbling knowing just a few hours of hard work can really make a difference in two major organizations and a lot of people's lives” continued Smith.
“I work with Habitat for Humanity because I have always had a heart for helping people in need”, said Nick Mielke, Executive Director of Montgomery Habitat for Humanity. “After working 16 years in local church ministry, coming to Habitat was a great opportunity to effect change here in the city where I live, by building partnerships and sharing our mission with a wider audience in order to build more homes”, continued Mielke.
“Since 1987 Montgomery Habitat for Humanity has worked with 80 families to provide the opportunity for them to own their own home. We currently serve 5 to 8 families a year through our building programs which include new construction as well as house rehabilitation projects”, he continued. “While Montgomery Habitat is currently serving 5 to 8 families a year-- and that is certainly not insignificant-- we know that the need in Montgomery County is even greater than that. We are working right now to improve each facet of our organization with the ultimate goal being to increase our capacity to serve even more families in the River Region. Having the Miss Alabama titleholders join us on one of our builds is a great treat and hopefully will get this great idea started for other service organizations in our area to come out and see what a blessing they will get from being a part of an organization that changes lives by helping one family at a time”, concluded Mielke.
“Often, when people find out that I am involved with the Miss Alabama organization they like to label me as a ‘pageant girl’”, stated Boni Yraguen, Miss Coastal Alabama. “While some people may see ‘pageant girls’ as just a bunch of hair and makeup, it's opportunities like Miss America Serves day that prove otherwise”, she continued. “We, as Miss Alabama contestants, are all coming together to help build a home for someone in need. Not only is philanthropy a vital part of what it means to be a ‘pageant girl’ but we are proving that we too sweat, work hard, get dirty, and I don't know about the other contestants, but I can't wait to get my hands on some power tools again!”, concluded Yraguen.
About the Miss Alabama Pageant
Alabama is home to a remarkable and respected organization with a rich history that spans more than nine decades. This not-for-profit organization awards college scholarships to outstanding young women of our state, and its mission is more critical than ever in this time of inadequate funding for education in Alabama. The Miss Alabama Pageant stands as a shining example of what can be accomplished when college women are challenged and encouraged to achieve ambitious goals.
The community service aspect of the Miss Alabama program propels contestants into arenas of prominence where policy is made, laws are enacted or changed, crucial funding is realized, and lives are positively affected. Contestants work for causes represented by their personally chosen platforms which may include Cancer research and education, organ donation, child enrichment and mentoring programs, senior citizen advocacy, arts and cultural organizations, and many others.
About Habitat for Humanity International http://www.habitat.org/
Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need.
About Temporary Emergency Services of Tuscaloosa
Temporary Emergency Services Inc. (TES) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families in crisis situations. Churches in the Tuscaloosa Community funded TES in 1945 to serve clients unable to receive assistance from local social services agencies. TES assists individuals and families in crisis situations in order to allow the clients to survive the immediate crisis they are encountering. TES operates its programs efficiently and effectively, thereby maximizing its limited resources, and the productivity of its employees. TES utilizes programs and services that have been successful for other public, private, and nonprofit organizations.
