Largest City. Biggest Heart.

The word city often brings to mind bustling grey sidewalks full of strangers with unsmiling faces. But not our city.

As the largest city in Alabama, Huntsville’s making room—room for more jobs, entertainment venues, different cultures, and people from all walks of life…including our homeless neighbors.

The Largest City. Biggest Heart. campaign is about more than doubling our facility space to offer critical services to the homeless. It’s also about making alliances with as many effective organizations, agencies, individuals, and companies as possible to ensure the greatest impact. This will allow us to better empower individuals, and to truly create a path from homelessness to independent sustainable living.

Capital Campaign Goal: $3,000,000

Raised to Date: $2,153,000

Make a Donation

Why do we need to make room?

Huntsville is the Largest City

In 2021, Huntsville was recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as the largest city in the state of Alabama. While this is wonderful in many ways, an increase in population comes with certain challenges.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a city’s population growth is a strong predictor of homeless population growth. In the last five years alone, Huntsville’s homeless population increased by 29.48%.

This means that we are facing a rising issue of homelessness, with an immediate need for enhanced support services, specifically those focusing on assisting individuals to exit homelessness and enter independent, sustainable living. The impact of homelessness can be felt throughout a city, causing a ripple effect in healthcare, public health, safety/security, the local economy, and more.

As the largest city in Alabama, Huntsville has the opportunity to set an example of how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.

If you would like to learn more about how the Largest City. Biggest Heart. Campaign will utilize resources to make the strongest impact on homeless individuals, we invite you to read our Case for Support.
View Case for Support
Leave a legacy for your family or organization by purchasing naming rights to a room or building! Your personal or company name will be displayed on a plaque outside the area you sponsor.
View Naming Opportunities
We are so grateful to the individuals, churches, and businesses that have supported our efforts in this expansion.
Biggest Heart Supporters

How we plan to make room for the homeless of Huntsville…

To continue meeting the needs of Huntsville’s growing homeless community, and to strategically address a long-term solution to homelessness, First Stop’s current facility will be renovated and expanded.

Our facility will expand from
3,686 sq ft to

3686 sq ft!
"First Stop is focused on addressing the many needs of our unsheltered population. They recognize the myriad of challenges these individuals deal with day to day, and they work collaboratively with our Continuum of Care agencies to provide real solutions and support. Having an agency like First Stop on the ground, personally working with those in need is critical in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness."
Tommy Battle
Huntsville Mayor
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Making Room

The First Stop building expansion at 206 Stokes Street, Huntsville, Alabama will not only allow for greater overall capacity, but it will offer increased space for our Outreach Team, Case Management Team, dedicated on-site clinics for partner agencies, and more!

Increased Capacity for Outreach Team

Increased Capacity for Case Management Team

Showers

2

6

Washers

3

5

Dryers

3

10

ON-SITE MEDICAL CLINIC

ON-SITE MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC

ENRICHMENT CLASSROOM

INDOOR DINING SPACE FOR 120

We want to be known for having the Biggest Heart

Putting effort and support toward solutions sets the standard of care not only for the homeless but the Huntsville community as a whole. 

With the growing number of homeless individuals living in Huntsville, an increase in capacity, client support, and the number of Case Managers available will allow us to assist more people into housing each year.

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Help us make room for our homeless friends in Huntsville!

Support Our Capital Campaign

Biggest Heart Supporters

$1,000,000+

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)

$100,000 - $999,999

Jane K. Lowe Foundation
Madison County Commission
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

$50,000 - $99,999

Daniel Foundation
Episcopal Church of the Nativity

$25,000 - $49,999

Compass Society
Debley Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

Torch Helps
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Axient
Lee Builders Inc.
Thrive Alabama
Alpha Foundation
Trinity United Methodist Church
Venturi Brighter Day Employee Fund

$5,000 - $9,999

Avion Solutions
Paul Freeman
nLogic nAbles
Susie’s Wish
Seabrook Solutions
Laurel and John Bailey
Hakanson Family
Evelyn Wilson
Ashley Clark

$1,000 - $4,999

Frank Prince
DuMidi
Donald Family Charitable Fund
Chapman Sisson Architects
Donald Christian
Robert and Jennifer Geist