Back Bay Mission

Our mission is to Strengthen Neighborhoods, Seek Justice, Transform Lives. We have been doing that 100 years on the coast. Back Bay Mission has always been a nimble organization identifying community needs and meeting those changing needs.

We have focused over the years on responding to the current needs of the community. As a result we have initiated programs that addressed urgent needs such as Coastal Family Health Centers (Federally Qualified Health Center, Center for Non-violence (domestic violence shelter), Gulf Coast Housing (purchases and builds homes for low and moderate income families), Loaves and Fishes ( Non-profit restaurant), Open Doors Homeless Coalition ( a coalition of agencies that address the needs of the homeless community) and the Mississippi AIDS Task Force. Each of these programs has become an independent 501 (c) 3. The leadership of Back Bay Mission was actively involved in desegregation initiatives in protesting segregated beaches and supporting Freedom Summer in the sixties.

Through nine current programs we are working to change the trajectory of the lives of homeless and low-income families and individuals. The goal of the nine programs is to build support and nurture the capacity of our clients to become long-term self-sustainable. Long-term sustainability often requires a substantive shift in self-perception. Each of our programs are intentionally focused on relationship building with those we are serving. We believe that no significant change occurs in the absence of relationship. The emphasis on relationship allows us to understand who our clients are as human beings rather than merely being data points. We want to know what their dreams and aspirations are for themselves and their families. This tells us how we can collaborate with them in their efforts to move forward, as well as, to assist in identifying possibilities that are meaningful from their perspective. We believe that when people feel valued and respected, they are more able to make substantive change. Our goal is to shift the conversation from poverty to possibility for those fellow citizens who have lost a sense of their own value and power. If we do not empower people to claim their own self- agency, then we do not change the poverty landscape. The goal is to walk with those who are generationally poor and those who have fallen into poverty in such a way that they are able to redefine themselves as full participants in a thriving community.

This year, we are adding two positions funded by the State of Mississippi Department of Health. Community Health Workers will help connect clients to needed services to not only survive but to thrive!

We maintain an organizational culture that is non-judgmental, welcoming & respectful of each client who seeks our services. Case management staff are trained , supported, and expected to not only address the emergency needs that clients have, but also to inquire about what led to the emergency, what resources do they have to address the need and how has this emergency impacted their dreams & aspirations? We ask these questions to identify & affirm the strengths that individuals bring to resolve the current situation & what strengths they can utilize to move forward. We want to know how we can be of assistance beyond the emergency request for utility assistance, rental payment, medication assistance. For example, clients who utilize the homeless day center, the case manager wants to learn who an individual was before they became homeless; what are the barriers to being housed; what needs to happen for them to become self- sustaining & be a contributing member of the community. This client engagement strategy takes time & lots of patience. We work against a one size fits all mentality. As we meet the immediate emergency need, we support & encourage self-esteem and self-empowerment in partnering with clients to identify ways to begin forward movement. We do this work through nine program areas.

1. Housing Recovery rehabs owner occupied houses for low-income families and individuals who are below 80% of area median income. We utilize a home maintenance curriculum with the homeowner so that they can maintain their homes after the rehab is complete.
2. An Emergency Solutions Grant provides rental assistance with case management for up to 12 months for homeless and persons who have received an eviction notice. The latter must be within 30% of area median income.
3. Emergency Assistance provides a client choice food pantry, medication assistance, utility relief, bus tickets, rent/mortgage assistance and birth certificates/IDs.
4. The Micah Center, a day center for homeless guests, provides computer access, showers, change of clothes, career readiness classes, life skills class and case management.
5. Home at Last, Permanent Supportive Housing, provides intense case management for persons who have been chronically homeless with a diagnosed physical or mental disability.
6. Community Health Worker supports access to health resources, healthy lifestyle classes, healthy food preparation and shopping on a budget.
7. Bridges out of Poverty is designed for a maximum of 12 participants per cycle (2-3 per year) to create a plan to move out of poverty. A certified facilitator hosts a 16-week curriculum to learn about the structures of poverty. A mentor commits two years to coach & encourage a participant. The participant receives a $25.00 stipend for 16 weeks.
8. Home Port I & II provides housing for homeless veterans through partnership with the VA
9. Veterans Support fund provides resources for veterans that other agencies cannot provide.

We have a staff of 18 people who believe in human beings and their inherent value. A critical characteristic for anyone hired for the staff at Back Bay Mission is that they must “like people”. The Lead Team is composed of the following:

• The Executive Director has a undergraduate degree in Educational Psychology, a Master's of Divinity and a Masters of Social Work and provides oversight for all programs maintaining a clear focus on our mission, supporting fundraising and being the public face of Back Bay Mission in coordination with the Director of Client Services. He has served as Director of Services in several not-for-profit organizations and has served of Executive Director of two not-for-profits prior to arriving to serve at Back Bay Mission.

• Director of Client Services (Master’s in Education, Alternative) with over eleven years of.
experience with homeless residents and low-income families. He oversees the work of seven people. This includes the staff of the Micah Center, Emergency Assistance, Rental Assistance, and Bridges Out of Poverty

• The Chief Financial Officer (Bachelor’s in Business Administration) manages all financial activities with the assistance of a part-time bookkeeper. She had over 13 years in financial management prior to her work with Back Bay Mission.

• The construction Manager for the Housing Recovery Program has a B.S in psychology and is a licensed contractor with over 14 years experienced in housing rehab with Back Bay Mission. He supervises a team of two staff who together guide volunteers through the needed construction as well as campus maintenance. We have an average of 800 volunteers annually who primarily work with the construction team.

• The Development Coordinator has a rich network of contacts in our community having been with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce for 9 years prior to joining the BBM staff. Her work builds our relationship with the community, leads our fundraising initiatives, and coordinates the activities of our part-time Church Relations Associate.

• We have five full-time case managers and who provide case management for each direct service program.

• Staff development and team building are consistent components in supporting staff who engage with a vulnerable challenging community.

• We utilize long-term volunteers (1-3 months) to coordinate arrangements for the over 800 volunteers who come annually. We have permanent local volunteers who assist in the clothes closet, reception area, and food pantry.

• We conduct annual staff performance evaluations to identify additional staffing and training needs that can strengthen our capacity to realize our mission.

Over the last 100 years Back Bay Mission focused on the needs of the most vulnerable in the 3 lower South Mississippi Coastal Counties. We have served as the incubator space for a number of agencies that have become their own 501(c)3. For example these non-profits are continuing to provide services: Coastal Family Health Centers, FQHC; Center for Domestic Violence, a shelter domestic violence victims; Loaves and Fishes, non-profit restaurant; Mississippi AIDS Task Force, counseling and housing for HIV positive patients; and Gulf Coast Housing Initiative, acquisition and renovation of homes to be sold to low-income residents. We continue to be effective in providing services that strengthen neighborhoods through our housing recovery program that rehabs homes for low-income homeowners. Our justice seeks has allowed us the opportunity to significantly improve services for homeless residents in ways that encourage a sense of dignity and self-empowerment. Through collaboration with Coastal Family Health Centers and BBM’s Community Health Worker, more low-income clients and homeless residents are being supported in getting access to medical resources. We are transforming lives through creative innovative case management that engages people in collaborating with staff to move toward self-sufficiency. The case management is learning from clients how to build effective relationships that lead to people discovering their own voice and reclaim themselves as people of value.

We want to do more to strengthen neighborhoods, seek justice, transform lives. We are planning for an “apprenticeship” program for homeless residents, where individuals will make application to work with a staff coach for a year to learn/relearn work skills through volunteer opportunities, participate in special classes and projects tailored to their needs and aspirations. We are hoping to develop a housing counseling program that will support community residents in developing their financial competency and employment options to move into neighborhoods that are safe and support an improved quality of life.

Our goal, as we move into the future, is to work collaboratively with governmental entities and other community organization to develop an overnight shelter and transitional housing for individuals and families recovering from devastating life events. We see these as critical initiatives for improving quality of life for all residents on the South Mississippi Gulf Coast.