It is with heavy hearts that we come together to express our great concern over the rise in gun violence in our city, most recently, the school shooting at LeFlore High School earlier this week. While we are grateful that no lives were lost, violence and shootings have become all too common – and it has shaken our community. While words often feel inadequate, we want to offer solace and support to the families involved in this tragic incident.

In this time of sorrow, we hope to build a renewed sense of purpose as we work to create a community that values compassion, understanding, and the well-being of every individual. Whether it’s supporting mental health initiatives, organizing community forums and support groups, or fostering an open dialogue within our community – Dumas Wesley stands ready to create positive change while we work to prevent these senseless acts of violence in the future.

We extend our gratitude to the first responders, law enforcement, and medical professionals who act courageously in the face of danger every day. By working together, we can amplify our efforts as we build a safer, healthier Mobile.

---Dumas Wesley Community Center's Staff and Board of Directors

Last year, thanks to the support of our community partners, the Dumas Wesley Community Center deployed over 343,238 direct services to our neighbors in need (a 12% increase from 2022). We want to express our gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this journey – our dedicated team, our partners, and the Mobile and Baldwin communities. Your contributions and collaboration have been instrumental in achieving these remarkable results.

Dumas Wesley’s transitional housing programs, the Sybil Smith Family Village (Mobile campus) and the Baldwin Family Village (Baldwin campus), were founded to break the cycle of homelessness through supportive housing and case management for homeless women and children. Click here to learn more about Dumas Wesley's transitional housing programs.

Sybil Smith Family Village 2023 Fast Facts

• 87% success rate among residents who completed the program and moved into permanent housing
• Housed 153 homeless women and children (20,187 bednights)
• Provided 1,637 individualized case management sessions and 75 life skills classes

Baldwin Family Village 2023 Fast Facts (Opened in May 2023)

• Housed 60 homeless women and children (4,338 bednights)
• 9 families moved into permanent housing
• Provided 731 individualized case management sessions and 55 life skills classes

The SAIL Program offers daily enrichment to low-income seniors 60 and older. The Center provides local seniors with access to healthy meals, life skills classes, wellness education, exercise classes, recreation and fellowship. SAIL also delivers meals to homebound seniors five days a week. Click here to learn more about the SAIL Program.

2023 Fast Facts

• 77 enrolled congregate and homebound seniors from the Crichton and Toulminville communities
• 15,937 meals provided to registered seniors (81% of whom are considered food insecure, according to the Area Agency on Aging)
• 711 hours of on-site activities offered to congregate senior citizens
• 3,388 wellness checks conducted

The After School Achievement Program (ASAP) and the Summer Recreation Program provides a variety of free academic and character-building activities for underserved youth. Programming includes: tutoring, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) workshops, career exploration, sports activities, a meal program, special "youth-empowered" events and field trips and a five-day trip to Camp Blue Lake in Andalusia, Alabama. Click here to learn more about Youth Programming.

2023 Fast Facts

• 87 children enrolled in the After School and Summer Programs
• 4,372 meals served to school-age children
• 723 hours of activities offered to participants in the After School and Summer Programs

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Dumas Wesley's Child and Adult Care Food Program helps improve, develop, and maintain healthy diets and eating habits among licensed home day cares. The USDA-funded program provides nutrition education and monthly food reimbursements to area day care providers. Click here to learn more about the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

2023 Fast Facts

• 56 home day care providers served 274,128 meals to 495 enrolled children
• 168 hours of on-site and virtual nutritional training provided for licensed home day cares

Community Partners

2023 Fast Facts

• The Joseph Project Food Pantry provided 3,099 supplemental food boxes to the community
• Gulf States Immigration Services provided pro-bono or low cost legal assistance for 350 individuals

Outreach and Emergency Services

2023 Fast Facts

• 560 individuals volunteered 
• 2,982 emergency food bags, hygiene kits and Bombas socks distributed
• $16,930 dollars in emergency and need-based assistance provided to program participants and members of the community

Dumas Wesley Community Center is pleased to announce the promotion of Margie Walters as the Director of the Baldwin Family Village. Walters received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Business from Huntingdon College and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Auburn University Montgomery. She resides in Spanish Fort with her husband, Lee, and their three daughters Sophie, Harper and Camille.

"I am thrilled to continue serving the families of Baldwin Family Village in a new capacity,” said Walters. “My goal is to make this space a peaceful haven for these ladies to rest and restore for a successful transition to their own homes.”