Last month, Mobile Fire-Rescue hosted a “Dollars for Dumas" fundraising event benefiting the Dumas Wesley Community Center. During the three-day fundraiser, which raised $20,142, Mobile firefighters were stationed across the city asking for donations to support the Center’s programs for underserved youth, low-income senior citizens and the homeless.

"Mobile Fire-Rescue Department is grateful for Dumas Wesley's dedication to our community," said Jeff Haller, Public Information Officer, Mobile Fire-Rescue. "Together, we can do even more to support their vital mission."

"We are thrilled to have been chosen as the recipient for Dollars for Dumas," said Bradley Forster, Dumas Wesley Community Center Board President. "Mobile Fire-Rescue is such a respected, hard-working and vital asset to our community. They are actively engaged in our youth programs - they set an example for our youth and inspire them to reach their full potential."

Click here to make an online donation to support the fundraiser, Dollars for Dumas.

On October 30, the Dumas Wesley Community Center hosted a visit from Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, the Alabama-West Florida Conference Bishop in Residence. During his visit, the Bishop and several members of his staff had the opportunity to tour Dumas Wesley's Mobile and Baldwin County campuses, gaining a first-hand look at the impact of the Center’s programs and services.

"It was an honor and a privilege to tour the facilities of the Dumas Wesley Center while I was in Mobile," said Bishop Holston. "The collaborative and comprehensive programing of this Center serves as a powerful Christian witness and a transformative force in the community. The stories of lives changed through the transitional housing programs touched my heart and inspired me in exciting ways. I look forward to encouraging United Methodists to continue to support and participate in this important ministry. I hope that Dumas Wesley can be a model for ministry in communities throughout our conference."

The Dumas Wesley Community Center was founded in 1903 by a group of Methodist women in Mobile. Dumas Wesley was originally tasked with providing childcare to the disadvantaged families working in the local cotton mills. Today, the Center is a mission of the United Methodist Church, offering over a dozen programs and services for local youth, senior citizens, low income families and homeless women and children.

Ahsha Gray, a senior at the University of South Alabama (USA), has played a key role in fostering meaningful relationships with youth in Dumas Wesley's Summer Recreation and After School Achievement Programs.

"I love sharing my love for dance with the children at Dumas Wesley," said Gray. "Helping the kids with their homework and being a mentor brings me so much joy! I am grateful for this volunteer opportunity because the kids always brighten my day. Volunteering at Dumas Wesley helps me gain knowledge and experience working with children. I want to become a Pediatric Physical Therapist, and a dance teacher one day."

Gray is one of 20 USA students volunteering at the Dumas Wesley Community Center. The USA Office of Community Engagement enhances teaching and learning through university-community engagement. Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

Dumas Wesley Community Center's transitional housing program, the Sybil Smith Family Village, is the proud recipient of a grant from the HG Clay Foundation. Funding will support local homeless women and children who are working to re-establish and maintain permanent housing.

"One of the HG Clay Foundation's core beliefs is that housing is a safety issue for the marginalized in our communities. Partnering with the Sybil Smith Family Village is key to our mission and we are thankful for the successful work they do in the lives of women and children," said Daniel Thompson, Executive Director of the HG Clay Foundation.

More than 100 children participated in Dumas Wesley Community Center’s 3rd Annual Trunk-or-Treat. Dumas Wesley staff, board members and community volunteers decorated their vehicles and distributed candy to Dumas Wesley’s program participants as well as local children from the surrounding community.

Participants in the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program celebrated Pink Day, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event was sponsored by St. Joseph Hospice, a local branch of The Carpenter Health Network.

"Sybil Smith Family Village has truly changed our lives. The program has been a safe place for me and my son to rebuild myself emotionally and financially. While at the Village, I was given the tools that I needed to regain my self-confidence in order to thrive! After 12 years of homelessness, I will successfully graduate from Sybil Smith Family Village as a homeowner! Thank you for giving me the ability to make our dreams a reality!" --- Crystal, Sybil Smith Family Village resident

Click here to learn more about Dumas Wesley's transitional housing program, the Sybil Smith Family Village.