Sea glass is a great testament of transformation, resilience and change. It begins its journey as shards of  glass, broken bottles, and  chipped plates that have been tossed away as unwanted pieces.  It is pulled from the shorelines into the water, tossed around the ocean floor and smoothed by the salt and waves.  Over time it is transformed into something completely new and unrecognizable. Each piece of sea glass has a story of survival.

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Think of your mother or grandmother for a minute.  When you envision one or both, do you see them sleeping in their car?  Is this what you would envision for either of them in the later part of their lives?  At 74 years old, neither did Mary. After the death of her spouse her income was cut in half, but her rent and living expenses were not. Her rent increased by 30% and now she cannot afford to stay. After being evicted, she struggled to find affordable housing that fit in her social security budget. She spends her days walking at parks and showering at a local gym. At night, she is very still, trying to remain invisible to all, especially law enforcement. After a long career working for a law firm, she now is trying to return to work to be able to afford housing. This is not an uncommon story of residents that are unhoused or facing eviction in Baldwin County.

 

On average, 60% of individuals and families that are unsheltered have lived in the area they are currently located for 10 years or more. 60% of those facing homelessness or are currently homeless in our community are long-time or lifetime residents of Baldwin County, Alabama.

 

Each individual that we serve at the Sea Glass Initiative has a story,  they have a piece of their life that has been severed like broken glass. 

We believe it does not matter what journey anyone has traveled to get to us, but through compassion and dignity, we can help transform their lives into something new and unrecognizable. We meet each individual where their at and offer hope to a life of long-term stability.

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