Story and Mission
In 2007 , a homeless woman literally froze to her death on the streets of Mobile because there was nowhere for her to go . After her tragic death , McKemie Place opened and today is still the only emergency shelter for unaccompanied adult women in our region . The mission of McKemie Place is to provide a safe haven , spiritual encouragement , and access to resources that help meet the needs and promote the well-being of unaccompanied women in distress . The main goal of McKemie Place is to provide a safe place for women to temporarily live while overcoming obstacles and working towards regaining their independence because new beginnings are never out of reach .
Our first guests were given shelter in March of 2007 at the United Methodist Inner City Mission , thanks to the efforts of the Homeless Coalition task force including the late Jamie Praytor . To honor the legacy of James “ Jim ” McKemie and his heart for the homeless in our community , they decided to name the new women ’ s homeless shelter , McKemie Place . In our first year of operation , McKemie Place served fewer than 100 women but by 2019 that total is over 5,000 women .
The main goal of McKemie is to provide a safe place for homeless women to stay while encouraging them towards self sufficiency and helping them regain their independence . Women come to us broken , hopeless , and in distress . Our greatest hope is for them to grow personally and spiritually while in our care and leave us in better mental and emotional health ready to sustain long term self sufficiency .
Over 5,000 women served since 2007
2008 – 96 2009 – 275 2010 – 440 2011 – 496
2012 – 459 2013 – 474 2014 – 467 2015 – 474
How To Do Some Good :
2016 – 470 2017 – 396 2018 – 441 2019 – 462
McKemie Place relies heavily on volunteers to provide lunch and dinner for our guests every day of the year because homelessness doesn ’ t take a day off . We also need a few more ladies to serve as volunteer receptionists at the shelter . Email , Call , or visit our website if you can help !
We also need your financial support . On average , McKemie Place provides our community over 4 million dollars worth of services each year without any monetary requirements from our guests . Your contributions are crucial to our continued success and we appreciate your partnership ! Donations can be made online or mailed to our PO Box .
SPOTLIGHT
Above : McKemie Place relies heavily on volunteers . From cutting grass and trimming bushes to preparing and serving a meal to our guests every evening , we could not exist without our dedicated volunteers !
2022 Fundraisers & Upcoming Events
Above : McKemie Place Staff Allison Crane , Tara Armbruster , and Japonicas Thurman
Sponsorships Available !
2021 Tournament Winners
Annual Spring Classic Golf Tournament at Magnolia Grove April 8 , 2022
Come show your support for McKemie Place , the region ’ s only shelter for single homeless women and help us driveaway homelessness while enjoying your day on the beautiful Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove !
** Congrats to 2021 Tournament Winners : Randy Breal , Leigh Breal , Van Thighpen , and Lance Heisler ( Not Pictured )**
Contact Us
251-287-2225 McKemiePlace . org PO Box 851418 , Mobile , AL 36685 Tara Armbruster , Executive Director info @ mckemieplace . org Facebook . com / mckemieplace Instagram . com / mckemieplace Twitter . com / mckemieplace
QR Code To Donate
Build Hope at The Steeple September 29 , 2022
Funds raised will support our general operating budget and help us purchase our new facility to make it a permanent location for McKemie Place . Thank you to our Sponsors and Shoppers for your support !
24 Get out and # DoSomeGood in 2022 !