First Stop exists not to just serve the homeless and make them more comfortable, but to help them out of homelessness. Our clients have suffered and endured an enormous amount of pain. They are faced with daily challenges, and in many cases, have lost hope. There are no easy answers or solutions, but a problem as complex and diverse as homelessness must be met with comprehensive solutions. Our team of Case Managers work one-on-one with homeless clients to identify obstacles, set goals, and partner with other agencies and community organizations to create a realistic plan for meaningful growth and change.
First Stop is truly the front line in the battle against homelessness in Huntsville and North Alabama. From reaching out to area homeless camps through our Outreach Teams to inviting the homeless to connect at First Stop’s Day Center Facility to helping our clients receive Charity Tracker identification cards so they can start the journey to independent housing and begin receiving access to and services from over 200 agencies, we are the First Stop for the homeless.
Huntsville is a generous and giving community. That giving spirit is put on display every day at First Stop and at many other local organizations. Countless volunteers and donors bring and serve meals, help with special projects, and donate critical supplies and materials.
The safest and most impactful way to help the homeless community is to first contact First Stop or another qualified agency. Our combined work to reach out to the homeless community must be coordinated to ensure best practices are followed, efforts aren’t unnecessarily duplicated, and that well-meaning acts of service don’t do more harm than good.
The work of First Stop starts with true compassion for the misfortunate and often forgotten in our community.
The work of First Stop centers around respect for our homeless clients. That respect is seen in the cleanliness of our facility and property, the quality of our services, and the attitude of our staff and volunteers.
The work of First Stop is driven by continuous improvement of our programs, partnerships and facilities with the single focus of helping as many individuals in the homeless community into independent housing.
First Stop was formed through a collaborative effort between the city of Huntsville and the Interfaith Mission Service in 2001 to serve and help the homeless population. As the organization’s mission became more refined, emphasizing services and support focused on assisting homeless individuals into sustainable housing, First Stop was incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2008.