LIFE

By Emily Williams-RoBERtshaW

She started an Instagram account When the time came for Vestavia Hills mother of two Kathryn Yarbrough to step and began posting pictures of colorful cookies. “I started having people that I went to college with, people that I haven’t spoken to in 10 years, asking, back from her career in nonprofit ‘Where can I get these?’” she said. management with UAB, she knew She began organizing contactless she still wanted to work in some way. porch pickups, expanding her client

While she doesn’t consider herself base from friends to people she had a pastry chef by any means, a pan- never met. demic goal to master the macaron gave birth to a new neighborhood A Nonprofit Model baking venture, Patricia-Irene’s. As the pandemic wore on, she saw

Now, Yarbrough is using her the damper health and safety meahomemade macarons to not only give sures put on nonprofits’ ability to back to some of her favorite nonprof- raise funds. Annual events were being it organizations but also connect with canceled, postponed or formatted for grassroots causes throughout the virtual participation, while the need community. for services continued.

The company is named after her “My uncle had just been diaggrandmothers – Patricia Jerome and nosed with ALS and I really wanted Glenda Irene Williams – two women to do a fundraiser for the Muscular who had a profound effect on her Dystrophy Association, knowing that relationship with the kitchen. I probably wouldn’t raise a lot of Yarbrough’s paternal grandmother, Patricia, hailed from a small town outside of Rome called Abruzzo, Italy. When Yarbrough was still little, Patricia and her Hungarian mother moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to the family. With 12 children who had families Journal photo by Jordan Wald money,” she said. She had a surplus of macarons sitting around that she didn’t want to go to waste, so she decided to use them as a fundraiser. “I started posting on social media saying, whatever you want to donate, just come by and grab a 12-pack,” of their own, cooking and baking was Kathryn Yarbrough’s company is named after her grandmothers – Patricia Jerome and Glenda Irene Williams – two she said. a constant in the household. women who had a profound effect on her relationship with the kitchen. “We raised about $300, which

“She showed me how to weigh isn’t much in the grand scheme of out my first cup of flour, because she things, but for a day’s worth – about was always in the kitchen when we would visit,” Yarbrough said. “That’s how we got to hang out with her, because she was constantly cooking for children.” When she thinks of her grandmother Glenda If You Give a six boxes – it’s huge.” Inspired by the success, she began holding monthly fundraisers in a similar fashion. Over the past eight months, Patricia-Irene’s has generated more than $2,000 for local chariIrene, Yarbrough’s sense memories paint a picture of a full breakfast. “I guess because my mom was born in the late ‘50s and was a ‘70s child, she always had breakfast for us but it was never big,” she said. Mom a Cookie ties, as well as donating cookies to schools, retirement homes and hospitals. She sold boxes to raise funds for the Fultondale tornado victims and donated boxes of baked goodies to local health care workers, “My grandmother insisted on a full breakfast. “The first time I can remember scrambling Vestavia Hills-Based Patricia-Irene’s Gives Back to teachers, Children’s of Alabama, The WellHouse, assisted living facilities and other eggs was with her.” Local Nonprofits Through Baked Goods nonprofits. “I never would have thought this is how this Developing a Business business would fall into a routine,” Yarbrough

As Yarbrough searched for a way to work said. “It’s mixing two of the things that I am while staying at home with her kids, she turned extremely passionate about. I get to do it and I to the kitchen. get to do it on my own terms, and I know where

She was looking through her collection of the money is going.” cookbooks, which she had purchased as remind- Baking is now a part of her daily routine. ers of great meals and travel experiences. She drops her 2- and 5-year-old sons off at

“I have a Bouchon Bakery cookbook from their Mother’s Day Out program for four hours Napa,” she said. “I was looking through it and I ‘I have a Bouchon a day and then hits the kitchen. saw a recipe for macarons, which I love. I could eat these things like candy.” Bakery cookbook from “I’m like superwoman in the kitchen for those four hours, because once they get home,

She tackled her first batch and the cookies Napa. I was looking it’s chaos,” she said. emerged baked to perfection. through it and I saw a But when they are at home, they get to see

“I thought, this isn’t so hard,” she said. their mom not only running her own business “Then I made a second batch, and they did not recipe for macarons, but choosing to make community service a turn out well. That was the case for the next 10 which I love. I could eat product of her success. batches I did.” The failed attempts only emboldened her in these things like candy.’ In the near future, Yarbrough wants to make an even bigger impact by not only raising more her quest. money but becoming more connected with local,

It wasn’t until one of her cousins, a fellow grassroots nonprofit efforts. macaron enthusiast, tried her cookies that she Her social media accounts and forthcoming even considered her bakes market worthy. website are open for communication. People can

“I never meant to be a baker, I didn’t go to message and let her know about organizations culinary school,” she said. “But my cousin they would like to see her partner with. asked if I would make macarons for a baby For more information, follow her on shower she was hosting.” Instagram @patricia_irenes_bham.

From left, Brady McLaughlin Floyd Larkin, Frank Bromberg and Roman Rauccio.

Lord Wedgwood Charity Donates LifeSaving Equipment to Youth Ranches

On Feb. 18, Lord Wedgwood Charity abandoned, abused and neglected has supplied the facilities with access board members Frank Bromberg and children. to AED365, a program management

Floyd Larkin presented a donation of “On behalf of the Alabama Sheriff system for the equipment that guaranthree automated external defibrillators Youth Ranches, we really appreciate tees legal compliance and instructs to Boys and Girls Ranches of this donation,” Rauccio said. users on how to keep their equipment

Alabama Development Coordinator “It’s just such an honor to be here working effectively. Roman Rauccio. One AED and bleeding kit will be placed in each of three Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranches, which provide long-term residential homes for and that y’all considered us for this. It really does help us and helps keep our kids safe, all of the children in need here in Alabama.” Larkin noted that the charity also The charity also presented the ranches with three bleeding control kits, which include a tourniquet and quick clot solution. —Emily Williams-Robertshaw Giving Our Best To Your Loved Ones Giving Our Best To Your Loved Ones Giving Our Best To Your Loved Ones

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