Thank You to our Local Heroes!
Dumas Wesley Community Center is proud to be part of a community that serves others! While the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on our community, it has also brought out the best in many of us. City officials, frontline workers and businesses are putting their health at risk every day to keep our families safe.

The Dumas Wesley staff created a special video to share their appreciation for all the local heroes. Watch the video here !
Dumas Wesley Launches Free Online Tutoring During Pandemic
Dumas Wesley Community Center's After School Achievement Program (ASAP) continues to operate remotely during to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last month, Dumas Wesley's staff logged 120 hours of tutoring for participants who are completing school assignments from home.

"We want the kids to stay on track with their school work. Our goal is to have every student progress to the next grade," said Steffani Gonzales, Director of the ASAP. "We've had to get creative, but Zoom Whiteboard and Google Classroom have been instrumental in our distance learning efforts.'"

One ASAP participant (pictured at right) recently exclaimed, "I'm so glad Dumas Wesley has my phone number because they're the only ones who can help me!"
-Jaxson Smiley, ASAP participant

Learn are about the ASAP program here .
Serving the Most At-Risk
In response to the mandated stay-at-home order, Dumas Wesley Community Center has had to alter the way it serves its at-risk clients in the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program. Last month staff have c onducted 75 well checks, weekly, for senior participants at risk of social isolation. Dumas Wesley has also tripled its manpower and vehicle deployment to deliver over 2,256 meals to its SAIL participants. Meals will continue to be delivered until the state's restrictions have been lifted.

“I feel special knowing someone cares about me enough to make sure I still have food to eat when we’re supposed to stay at home. What a blessing Dumas has been for me; what a blessing Dumas has been for a lot of people.”
-- Lillie Williams, SAIL Homebound Meal participant (pictured at right)
Food for the Soul
Last month, families at the Sybil Smith Family Village received an unexpected gift thanks to the owners of The Noble South restaurant. Chris Rainosek and his family donated 30 pounds of ground beef along with fun activities for each of the children residing at Sybil Smith Family Village.

"Even though it's a hard time for restaurants, we're very fortunate. We still have business coming in and we felt it would be a good time to reach out and help where we can. We've been doing some meals for hospitals, trying to find where we can help out," said Chris Rainosek, Owner of The Noble South.

Since the federal emergency declaration, Sybil Smith has supplied 5,400 meals, conducted 120 individual case management sessions and provided 2,200 bed nights for the 50 residents in shelter.

The Sybil Smith Family Village is a 24-month transitional housing program that helps families experiencing homelessness establish and maintain self-sufficiency. To date, the program has served 2,120 individuals from Mobile and Baldwin Counties, Southwest Alabama, coastal Mississippi, and North Florida. In 2019, 86% of residents successfully exited the program into permanent housing. Learn more about the Sybil Smith Family Village here .
Keeping the Wheels Turning!
Dumas Wesley Community Center is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Emergency Funds Grant through the United Methodist Women's National Missions Institution. Funds will support the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program.

Transportation services are critical to the daily operations of the SAIL program. This grant will allow Dumas Wesley to continue providing transportation for seniors to and from the center, as well as the delivery of homebound meals and weekly activities to local shopping centers, banks, pharmacies and social activities. 

SAIL provides medical screenings, nutrition, exercise, wellness, recreation and fellowship for low income seniors. Learn more about the SAIL program here .
 The Dumas Wesley Community Center will be participating in  #GivingTuesdayNow  a global day of giving on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Your online donation will allow Dumas Wesley to keep its essential programs running during the COVID-19 crisis.

Thank you!
Thank You for Supporting the Dumas Wesley Community Center!
126 Mobile Street
Mobile, Alabama 36607
Phone: 251.479.0649