Mary’s Shelter Gulf Coast, a nonprofit in Elberta that provides housing and support to homeless pregnant women and their children, will soon take a tangible step toward addressing homelessness …
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Mary’s Shelter Gulf Coast, a nonprofit in Elberta that provides housing and support to homeless pregnant women and their children, will soon take a tangible step toward addressing homelessness in Baldwin County.
On Jan. 28, the organization will break ground on Mary’s Village, a program that transitions participants into homeownership via three homes designed for a two-year transitional housing program. Residents will pay monthly program fees, which will be held in escrow and returned at the program’s conclusion, giving participants more than $25,000 to use as a down payment on a home.
Mary’s Shelter already operates an 11-bedroom residential home for pregnant women and their children who have been abused or have no safe place to live. Executive Director Kay Trattles explained how the shelter’s current program helps residents rebuild their lives.
“During their 15-month stay, our moms receive pre- and post-natal care, participate in life skill classes five days per week, attend parenting classes, earn their GED, secure full-time employment, purchase a vehicle and escrow $5,000 to $10,000. At the end of this 15-month program, residents transition to independent living with their child(ren),” Trattles said in a news release.
However, many graduates of the program face ongoing challenges due to rising housing costs in Baldwin County, where average rent has nearly doubled over the past five years, according to the release. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of rent in Baldwin County, the organization said, leaving many program graduates unable to afford independent living. As a result, they often rely on shared housing or government assistance, perpetuating the cycle of generational poverty.
The challenges extend beyond finances. The organization said resident mothers often lack functional familial support, which is why they turn to Mary’s Shelter for assistance. More than half of the residents spent part or most of their childhood in foster care, and many have family member or the fathers of their children who are incarcerated.
The organization also noted that while government-subsidized housing is available in Baldwin County, the waiting lists are often years long, and in many cases, the lists are closed entirely.
Mary’s Village aims to solve these problems by offering transitional housing that ends in homeownership for the participants.
“While the Village is a transitional housing program, it is not just a transitional program. It is ridiculous to believe that if someone cannot afford rent in 2025, that by giving them income-based transitional living, they will miraculously be able to afford rent at full rate in a one- or two-year time period. The most important portion of the Mary’s Village program is that it culminates in home ownership,” Trattles said.
Mary’s Shelter is working with local banks and nonprofits to provide residents with credit counseling, budgeting assistance and home maintenance education. By focusing on homeownership, the program offers a long-term solution to homelessness and poverty in Baldwin County.
In addition to this major development, Mary’s Shelter will host its fifth-annual “Be My Valentine” event on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Our Lady of the Gulf Parish in Gulf Shores.
The event will feature a $10,000 drawdown and auction, with “Elvis” entertaining attendees. It begins at noon with lunch, and the grand prize will be awarded at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $100, and sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels ranging from $250 to $10,000. Those who respond by Feb. 10 will also be highlighted on the drawdown board the day of the event.
For more information on the event, or to become a sponsor or purchase tickets, contact Judie Flanigan at (251) 554-4889.
To learn more about Mary’s Village or to contribute financially to the program, email village@maryssheltergulfcoast.org. You can also visit the organizations’ website at www.maryssheltergulfcoast.org. The organization also operates the Mary’s Shelter Gulf Coast Thrift Store, with 100% of sales supporting shelter operations and programs for mothers and babies. Both the thrift store and the organization can be found on Facebook.