Sixty-seven homeless women and children currently reside at Dumas Wesley Community Center's transitional housing programs, the Sybil Smith Family Village and the Baldwin Family Village. While Dumas Wesley's residents become homeless for a variety of reasons—domestic violence, living in a place not fit for human habitation and employment woes - financial hardships remain a prevalent contributing factor.

With the assistance of community partners like Cadence Bank, Dumas Wesley's transitional housing programs offer financial literacy workshops on the subjects of financial planning, credit counseling, money management education and homeownership counseling.

“At Cadence Bank, we want to do our part in assisting individuals in the community with their financial needs," said Bea Hayes, Foley, Alabama Branch Manager at Cadence Bank. "For almost a year, my team and I have offered financial literacy workshops for residents at the Baldwin Family Village. At our last class, the residents were so engaged. You could feel how invested they were by the thoughtful questions they asked. They were even giving advice to each other! We hope to continue our community partnership with the Baldwin Family Village,” said Hayes.

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

Lily Hoyle, a senior at Davidson High School, has been volunteering in the After School Achievement Program for two years. Upon graduation, Lily will be attending the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.

"I am so grateful for this volunteer experience because I have learned valuable lessons about what it means to be a servant leader. Volunteering has taught me the importance of stewardship, commitment, and truly listening to others. It is crucial that all children have access to a safe and loving environment after a long day at school. Volunteering is always a fun time. I love to participate in exciting activities like cooking or yoga, but what I enjoy most is simply talking and laughing with the kids."

--Lily Hoyle, After School Achievement Program volunteer

Participants in the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program welcomed students from UMS-Wright Preparatory School's Leadership Service class.

Seniors and students alike enjoyed arts and crafts, card games and fellowship.

"Our class had a wonderful experience at Dumas Wesley. Seeing how happy the seniors were to have us talk and hang out with them was amazing. I will always remember how good I felt as a person after volunteering at Dumas Wesley."

 --Libby Lamar, 7th grade UMS-Wright student

Last month, in conjunction with the United Way of Southwest Alabama’s Day of Caring, Mobile Airport Authority employees spent the afternoon volunteering on Dumas Wesley's campus.

Volunteers completed a variety of tasks that included: activities with senior citizens, painting, landscaping and organizational projects.

"The Mobile Airport Authority team is proud to extend its commitment to service beyond the runways by supporting the Dumas Wesley Community Center. It wasn’t just about offering a helping hand—it was also about listening to the powerful stories of the people there and seeing the real difference the Center makes in their lives. We are inspired by today’s experiences and look forward to continuing our support of the United Way of Southwest Alabama’s Day of Caring.”

--Chris Curry, Mobile Airport Authority President.

In April, Community Bank held a service day at Dumas Wesley’s Baldwin County campus. More than a dozen Community Bank employees completed several projects that included: painting, landscaping, organizing and carpet cleaning.

"Community Bank was proud to serve Baldwin Family Village as a part of our connected to the community service project. Being an active part of our community is a huge part of who we are as Community Bank, and being able to give back to organizations that are making huge impacts on their local community, like the Baldwin Family Village, is our privilege!"

---Bill Kilduff, President, Alabama Coast Division, Community Bank

Youth Programs

"My daughter, Antonia, has really enjoyed Dumas Wesley’s After School Achievement Program. As a parent, this program is a huge help because it takes the weight off of me not being able to afford an after school program. Antonia has a chance to socialize with kids her own age – it’s her favorite part of the day! The after school program means a lot to me and my daughter. Thank you." ---Laura Williams, After School Achievement Program parent

Transitional Housing

"Life was chaotic and my future was unclear. My self-esteem had bottomed out, and I was afraid for my family. I felt alone and scared. Because of the Baldwin Family Village, I now feel empowered, focused, and strong! We are relieved to be in a safe environment and to have a comfortable little corner of the world that we can call home." 

---Baldwin Family Village resident

Senior Services

"Before I became a participant of the SAIL Program, I felt alone. I never really went anywhere except to the grocery store. This program has restored hope into my life. Each day, I have a chance to visit with my friends who have now become a part of my family. The staff genuinely care about our well-being. I don't know what I'd do without Dumas Wesley."

---Linda Lopez, Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program participant