FAITH
Blessing Birmingham
One woman’s quest to serve the neighbors of our downtown homeless community
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BE A BLESSING BIRMINGHAM
Be a Blessing Birmingham provided pizza to participants after receiving Covid vaccines.
BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE After earning her Bachelor of Science in history and political science at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa and attending Florida Coastal School of Law, Munford, Alabama, native Erica Robbins found herself working and living in downtown Birmingham. And while the day-to-day activity of downtown is eye-catching, it was something under the highway—or someone, rather—that caught Erica’s attention. “I had a view of the road, and I would look out my window and notice someone sitting under the bridge,” she explains. Erica couldn’t help but check in on the man. She learned he was a married veteran and a father. Upon returning from war, the man under the bridge sturggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to be confined to small spaces. He felt most comfortable outside. “I began to call him neighbor, affectionately,” says Erica. Wanting to put action behind her desire to help, Erica began volunteering at shelters, but she still 28 Bham Family September 2021
felt unfulfilled. So, she appealed to those closest to her for help. “I used social media to ask friends and family to help collect essential hygiene items,” she says. “Then I drove around the city looking for people who needed donations. Eventually, they began looking for me. And this was the beginning of Be a Blessing Birmingham.” Continuing to call the people whom she serves “neighbors,” Erica founded Be a Blessing Birmingham to be just that: a blessing. “We provide to our neighbors,” she says. On the third Saturday each month, Be a Blessing Birmingham hosts Blessing Days downtown at Linn Park. “Our team transports tubs of sorted clothes, shoes, snacks, and 200 packed bags to Linn Park downtown.” There, distribution lines are set up for volunteers to pass out items to the neighbors. “Each person receives a hygiene kit, two rolls of toilet paper, a pair of socks, and bottled water. Women receive additional products to meet individual needs,” says Erica. “We provide each person with an CONTINUED ON PAGE 29
