How It All Started

On April 27, 2011 a massive tornado traveled from Mississippi to Georgia destroying everything in its path. The hardest hit areas are in Alabama. The towns of Tuscaloosa, Alberta City, Snoddy, Gordo, Reform, Phil Campbell, Cullman, Sawyerville, Hackleburg and many others will never be the same. There are people who lost homes, cars, photographs, books, toys, places of employment, pets and loved ones. Entire neighborhoods cease to exist, there are rural communities who no longer have grocery stores, gas stations and government facilities.

Courtney Barr, The Southern Princess, is an aspiring author who resides in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For 11 years she has found herself falling in love with every road, every store, every person who fills the streets every day. Wednesday, April 27, 2011 she found herself in her basement 2 times in 12 hours. The first time (5 a.m.)was during a tornado that destroyed the neighborhood three streets down from her own. The second (5:13 p.m.) was when she listened to utter destruction occurring all around her beloved town. 

Thankful for four walls, the safety of her husband, niece & dog she realized that her blessings are many while those around her are suffering unimaginable pain! 

Having been raised in a rural town in Southern Alabama she understands that though these areas get help they do not get the coverage of a larger, more populated area. This auction gives the opportunity to adopt one of these communities and help out!

So it wasn't long before she started the emails...boy did she email. Thank you Lindsey Leavitt for hooking her up with Crystal Harris! Since that first night in Barnes & Noble it has been a whirlwind!

Crystal Harris, Life, Love, and Literature, resides near Birmingham and has lived in Alabama for the last 13 years. On April 27th, 2011 she was on vacation in Arizona with her husband yet still listened to meteorologist James Spann's coverage of the severe weather through an iPhone app. She kept updated on what was going on back home through Facebook and Twitter and prayed that her family and friends made it through. The rest of her vacation was spent glued to the television for any information and otherwise felt helpless.

Wanting to help, she contacted her friend and author Lindsey Leavitt who immediately jumped on board and eventually sent her an email telling her that she and Courtney Barr were trying to do the same thing. The day after returning from vacation, she met up with Courtney at Barnes & Noble and the rest is history.


Please donate what you can, bid for something you love and share hope with those who have lost so much! 


We are excited to adopt the town of Hackleburg, Alabama. A small community that lost 31 of its 32 businesses when the EF5 tornado struck.