Assistance Ministries provides food, assistance with rent, utility bills, and other needs. Through our Assistance Ministries program Urban Ministry works to prevent homelessness brought on by inadequate incomes and emergency situations. Belle Carlisle is our Director of Assistance Ministry and our Community Kitchen. Karl Carlisle is the Community Kitchen Assistant. Phebe Booker is our Administrative Assistant.
WHAT WE DO
Through Assistance Ministries we:
• Provide a 5 to 7 day supply of non-perishable food to persons and families in need of food because of emergency situations or inadequate income.
• Assist in paying utility bills and rent.
• Make referrals to other agencies when Urban Ministry is unable to meet the person's needs.
• Provide a free hot meal Monday-Friday year round.
In 2007 we served 26,000 meals to 1,802 different individuals.
• In 2007 we served 2,108 persons with utility or rental assistance and/or food boxes for families in emergency need.
• This means, then, that we served 3,910 persons through Assistance Ministries for an average of over 325 persons monthly.
Ministry Report 2009
POVERTY
The poverty rate in the State of Alabama is 16%. In the West End Community where Urban Ministry is located, the poverty rate is three times the state rate. The Community Kitchen and all of our Assistance Ministries programs help low income persons stretch their financial resources just a bit further than they might otherwise be able to under their difficult circumstances.
These activities are intended to assist persons and families that are on the edge financially to maintain their housing and find stability. Unfortunately, the demand for these services continues to increase.
We are happy to say that those who come seeking food assistance have never been turned away. Unfortunately, when it comes to financial assistance we have to turn down many more persons than we are able to assist. We are just not able to meet the demand for financial assistance related to rent, utilities and other needs. Based on the number of calls we get from people who have had their utilities disconnected we are convinced that there are hundreds (maybe more) persons/families in Birmingham, Alabama living in homes/apartments without utilities.
