Successful Homeless Stand Down

Martha organizing T-shirts at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Saturday is the one day we can sleep in after a long week of work, right? Not for nearly 100 volunteers who served at the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless outreach this past Saturday, May 19.

SEACH is a group of ministries and agencies who work together to end homelessness in Dothan and the Wiregrass. It's a show of unity that's not usually seen in most areas. We are thankful for that unity and cooperation. When we all work together, not worried about who gets the credit, the more people we can help and work we can accomplish.

The SEACH Homeless Stand Down is held every spring and fall. One of the goals of the event is to provide much-needed, life-necessary items to our homeless friends throughout Dothan. Tents, bug repellent, food, Coleman stoves, propane, hygiene items and sleeping bags are items the homeless need to survive.

We look at this as a hand-up, not a handout. The goal is to help the homeless come off the streets. To get there is a process. It's not as easy as saying, "Get a job and get your own place." I wish it was that simple. It takes time, but it's a process that can be done. I've seen many of the homeless over the years successfully come off the streets.

We are so blessed to live in a community filled with people who help when they know of a need. The community responded once again and provided items to fill 97 bags for the homeless. Ministries and agencies who work with the homeless interviewed and filled out forms on the homeless to determine their needs. We couldn't have met those needs without such a giving community. Thank you to everyone who donated.

The volunteers were amazing. They started showing up between 6-6:30 a.m. Despite the early hour and the heat and humidity, these volunteers went to work and smiled as they organized items and filled bags. By 9 a.m. the 97 bags were loaded up and delivered to the homeless. 

Thank you to everyone who came out. You were all wonderful. Thank you to Wiregrass 2-1-1 Executive Director David Duke and his staff, SEACH President Vickie Alleman, SEACH Vice President and Harbor Church Executive Director Kody Kirchhoff, and David Jamison for all of your hard work organizing the Stand Down. Thank you to everyone who was involved. It was truly a great day. To God be the glory!

Bro. Dan taping a homeless person's information sheet to a bag filled with much-needed items.

Wiregrass 2-1-1 Executive Director David Duke.

Harbor Church Executive Director/SEACH Vice President Kody Kirchhoff addressing
volunteers at Saturday's SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

Volunteers organizing items at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.

A family prays over a bag of items they filled for a homeless person at the SEACH Homeless Stand Down.
There is power in prayer because of the One we pray to.