August 2011   On April 27, 2011 the southern part of the United States was hit with severe weather which included numerous deadly and destructive F-5 tornados. Birmingham, Alabama and the surrounding areas suffered great devastation. Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) responded to this devastation and is working with families in the affected areas to restore their houses and lives.   Jessica High, a staff accountant with Hershey Advisors, volunteered a week in August 2011 to serve with MDS. While in Birmingham, the team which Jessica was a part of helped with various house restoration projects such as reframing interior walls, replacing windows, and painting house exteriors. The team also spent time with community members, sharing meals with them and hearing their stories of survival and hope for the future. Thank you, Jessica, for your service!