Now Serving Women and Children Experiencing Homelessness in Baldwin County!

The Dumas Wesley Community Center and the Baldwin County Village Foundation held a dedication ceremony last month to commemorate the opening of Baldwin County's first transitional housing program, the Baldwin Family Village. Watch a feature about the Baldwin Family Village on NBC15 here.

A little over a year ago, a vision began to address and combat homelessness for residents in Baldwin County. Dr. Darren McClellan, Senior Pastor of Fairhope United Methodist Church, and the Dumas Wesley Community Center led an army of compassionate individuals, donors, community supporters and volunteers to launch the Baldwin Family Village. The Baldwin Family Village will be modeled after Dumas Wesley’s highly successful transitional housing program, the Sybil Smith Family Village.

“We are so grateful for our generous donors and the support of the community for helping bring this program to life,” said Kate Carver, Executive Director of the Dumas Wesley Community Center. “With the continued reality of affordable housing shortages and higher rates of eviction, we know that housing services are needed now more than ever. We’re honored to be able to extend our services to meet this need in Baldwin County,” said Carver.

Prospective Baldwin Family Village residents may contact Amy Abernathy, Director of the Baldwin Family Village, at 251-210-4045 or email aabernathy@dumaswesley.org for additional information and eligibility requirements. Learn more about the Baldwin Family Village here.

Congratulations! "Smiles Behind the Shield" Award Recipients

Congratulations to Chief Alex Trenier and firefighters from Mobile Fire-Rescue’s Crichton Fire Station for receiving WKRG's Smiles behind the Shield Award! Once a month, Chief Trenier and his team visit Dumas Wesley’s After School Achievement Program in conjunction with the Center's First Responders Day. School-age children enjoy a variety of special events and hands-on CPR/first-aid training and fire-safety education. Children have also enjoyed activities with Mobile Fire-Rescue that have included ice cream socials, recreational activities and special events. Watch the Smiles Behind the Shield news story on WKRG here.

Last week, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce employees celebrated United Way of Southwest Alabama's 29th Annual Day of Caring by rolling up their sleeves and volunteering at the Dumas Wesley Community Center. Over a dozen employees performed tasks that included: landscaping, cleaning and restocking an apartment at Sybil Smith Family Village, an art project with seniors in the Senior Activities for Independent Living (SAIL) Program, organizing a clothing closet and packing emergency food bags.

"The Mobile Chamber is thankful for the opportunity to participate in United Way of Southwest Alabama Day of Caring at the Dumas Wesley Community Center. Dumas Wesley is a tremendous asset to the community, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to give back to an organization that provides so much to our community."

---Layton Little, Director of Government Affairs, Mobile Chamber

Last year, hundreds of volunteers donated their time and talent, saving the Center more than $31,000, according to the Independent Sector. Thank you to all our dedicated volunteers for supporting local youth, senior citizens and homeless women and children. Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.

"For many years, UMS-Wright Preparatory School has had the privilege of partnering with the Dumas Wesley Community Center. It is so rewarding for our students to be able to contribute to the annual Toy Store, provide Thanksgiving baskets for the Sybil Smith Family Village, and to help with improvement projects on the Dumas Wesley campus as part of our Service Days. Most recently, our fifth grade students were able to become pen pals with the senior adults in the SAIL program. Seeing our students take time to carefully craft the perfect handwritten letter is heartwarming, and then being able to see their faces light up when they receive a letter from their pen pal is priceless. Last summer, our faculty members were able to provide transportation to local swimming pools for the summer program. Being able to witness first-hand how such a simple act can make such a huge impact was truly life-changing for me as well as the other faculty members who were able to participate. Dumas Wesley Community Center provides so many resources and opportunities for so many people, and it is truly an honor for our school, UMS-Wright, to be one of their community partners." --- Dana Stewart, M.Ed., Middle School Counselor, UMS-Wright Preparatory School

"I was naive about the need for a facility and program like the Baldwin Family Village (BFV), but how quickly God opened my eyes and heart! I was astounded to learn that in 2021, there were 300 students in Baldwin County who identified as homeless. I found it unacceptable that the lives of children who lived just miles from my own boys were living such vastly different lives due to circumstances beyond their control. Compelled by my discussions with the incredibly impressive leaders at the Dumas Wesley Community Center and their transitional housing model, Sybil Smith Family Village, I became involved in launching a similar program - the Baldwin Family Village. The outpouring of community-wide support (both financially and in volunteer hours) to turn the vision of BFV into a reality has been so inspiring. What a blessing this endeavor has been for me personally and will be for our neighbors in need! 

--- Elizabeth Hammock, Board Member of the Baldwin Family Village Foundation

“Volunteering at the Dumas Wesley Community Center’s After School Achievement Program has been the highlight of my year! I look forward to seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces each week and hearing all their crazy stories about their fun day. Since volunteering at Dumas Wesley, I have learned how to remain patient and calm when working with the children. I love helping the kids with their homework and witnessing their improvement, especially in their reading and writing skills. They have shown me what it truly means to be resilient. I am so grateful that the after school program has allowed me to be a part of the kids’ lives because they are now a HUGE part of mine. Thank you Dumas Wesley for everything you do for the community!” --- Olivia Palisi, University of South Alabama student and volunteer in the After School Achievement Program