Women and children experiencing homelessness will have the opportunity for a new beginning, thanks to Impact100 Mobile. Last month, Dumas Wesley Community Center's transitional housing program, the Sybil Smith Family Village, was selected as Impact100 Mobile’s 2024 grant recipient. The $117,500 gift will be used to renovate the program’s 18 apartments located on Dumas Wesley's main campus.

For a quarter of a century, Sybil Smith Family Village has served as a sanctuary for 2,630 women and children. Thanks to the generosity of Impact100 Mobile, Sybil Smith Family Village will continue to provide life-changing services for women and children for many more years to come.

Click here to learn more about Dumas Wesley Community Center's transitional housing programs.

"I grew up in an unstable household that left me feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I quit school and just couldn’t find my way in life. Especially when it came to relationships. I was never taught what a healthy relationship should look like. For years, I lived a life of uncertainty and ultimately ended up in an abusive relationship. The relationship was so unsafe that the Department of Human Resources (DHR) removed my youngest son from my care. When I got the courage to leave my abuser, my oldest son, Hayden, and I became homeless. I decided I needed a fresh start. I had made a promise to myself to regain custody of my son, to value my life, and to never put myself in a domestic situation again.

When my family moved into Dumas Wesley’s housing program, the Baldwin Family Village, I finally had a safe place for me and my children to live. From the moment we got to the Village, we had everything we needed. It was such a relief to have a community that had our best interests in mind. I was challenged with the task of reinventing myself - I was beginning to love the new me! I enrolled in college. I received a scholarship from Vocational Rehab and decided to major in computer science. My children were happy! DHR noticed my efforts and granted me partial custody with overnight visits. A key turning point in my self-discovery was during a Healthy Relationships class. I broke down while listening to the instructor because I realized that a lot of her stories and statistics were me. It was an uncomfortable, yet important realization that I needed to have in order to grow.

All my life, I had lived a life of instability. The Baldwin Family Village taught me that living a life of stability was possible. I learned to believe, “why not me!” I felt capable of setting and accomplishing goals for myself. You can’t put a price on stability. It is so important for success. I can’t express how much this program means to us. 

I graduated from the program in January. My son, Hayden, walked through the front door of our new, beautiful home, and said, “We’ll take it!” I never knew having a home like this would be possible. It has been such an easy transition from homelessness to independence because of the foundation that the Baldwin Family Village gave me and my family. My boys have settled in and have adjusted to home-life. I’ve even implemented several daily routines that I learned while at the Village. I finished my second semester of college with straight A’s! While at the Baldwin Family Village, my goals were to own a home on the Eastern Shore, to continue my education, and be an active and involved parent. It feels so rewarding to have accomplished these goals! Because of the Baldwin Family Village, I am a great mom and I’ve learned to become a woman with grace. I’m excited about our future!"

---Brittany, graduate of the Baldwin Family Village

The Baldwin Family Village (BFV) provides 12 months of housing stability and wrap-around services for up to 100 homeless women and children annually. BFV seeks to break the cycle of homelessness and help residents re-establish and maintain self-sufficiency by focusing on accountability, case management, life skills, and behavior modification. In May, the Baldwin Family Village will be celebrating its one-year anniversary. To-date, the BFV has served 70 individuals and 14 families have successfully transitioned into permanent housing.

“Dumas Wesley’s SAIL Program is important to me because as a senior citizen, the program has given me the ability to live a more healthy and independent life. For several years, Dumas Wesley has been there for me, helping to alleviate the stressors of life - especially living on a fixed income, with a heart condition. Every day, I enjoy the face-to-face conversations with the staff when they deliver my meal. They make sure that I’m doing okay. I look forward to seeing them pull up to my home. Human connection is so important because I live alone. The meals that I receive make a HUGE difference, too. They are nutritious, and I’m able to make my meals stretch throughout the week. Sometimes my pride gets in my way, and it’s not easy to ask for help when I don’t have enough money to buy things like toilet paper. Dumas Wesley makes it easy to ask. They have always been there for me - they are just a phone call away!”--- Stanley Hill, Senior Activities for Independent Living Program Homebound participant

The Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program offers daily enrichment to low-income seniors 60 and older. The program’s on-site activities include free healthy meals, life skills classes, wellness education, exercise classes, recreation and fellowship. The SAIL program also provides meal delivery to 46 homebound seniors five days a week. Click here to learn more about Dumas Wesley's Senior Activities for Independent Living Program.

“This is my first year attending the after-school program. I really like coming to Dumas Wesley because as a student athlete, the activities they offer help me succeed academically and athletically. Getting good grades is important to me. Volunteers help me with my homework. I don’t have to worry about homework after football and basketball practice because it’s already done! Of course, I love all the activities in the gym, especially basketball and yoga. Surprisingly, I learned that yoga helps athletes stay focused, and it helps with breathing and flexibility. It’s been great coming to Dumas Wesley!” 

---Shedrick, After School Achievement Program participant

Dumas Wesley's Youth Programs are designed to close the educational opportunity gap for underserved youth, by supporting their educational success, social and emotional learning and career planning. In 2023, 59% of Dumas Wesley's After School Achievement Program (ASAP) participants increased their reading scores and 56% of the ASAP participants increased their math literacy scores, according to the Mobile County Public School System.

The After School Achievement Program offers a variety of academic and character-enhancing activities that include: tutoring, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) workshops, career exploration, sports activities, a meal program and a summer program. Click here to learn more about the After School Achievement Program.

"I am the owner of The Treehouse Learning Center and a new provider of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The nutritional training that I receive from Dumas Wesley is essential for my home day care. The program holds me accountable for making sure I'm preparing healthy and nutritious meals for the children in my care. I'm a strong believer that healthy children learn better. As the old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child!” I sincerely believe this. In raising my own children as a single parent, I needed help too. I trusted each person in my life to treat my children as if they were their own. I do just that - they love me, and I love them!" ---Robynn Likely, Family Day Care Home provider

Dumas Wesley is a sponsor of the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program. The program plays a vital role in improving the quality of home day care centers while making child care more affordable for low-income families. Licensed day care providers receive nutrition education and a monthly food reimbursement for serving balanced meals and healthy snacks to area children. Click here to learn more about the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The Dumas Wesley Community Center is the proud recipient of a grant from IgniteMOBILE. Funding will support Dumas Wesley's signature programs, benefitting senior citizens, underserved youth and homeless women and children in our community. 

IgniteMOBILE, a United Methodist affiliate, manages and operates Open Doors Ministries Resale and Thrift Store. The resale store is located at 4125 Government Blvd in Mobile, Alabama. Proceeds from the store are distributed to community partners like the Dumas Wesley Community Center.