Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — Sea Glass Initiative, a Baldwin County nonprofit dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness, has received a $2,000 grant from the City of Gulf Shores through its new Nonprofit Grants Program. This program aims to support community organizations that provide direct aid to Gulf Shores residents. Sea Glass was one of five organizations chosen in the fall 2025 awards cycle.

The City of Gulf Shores launched the Nonprofit Grants Program in October 2025 to enhance local outreach efforts. Sea Glass Initiative, founded in 2023, aims to unite the community through compassion and expand access to housing and essential services. The group’s name reflects its mission to transform brokenness into hope, much like sea glass formed from discarded pieces smoothed by the sea.

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Funds from the city grant will support the group’s “Access in Motion Transportation Initiative.” The program offers safe and reliable rides for people experiencing homelessness or financial hardship. The service assists clients in reaching essential appointments, such as job interviews, medical visits, and shelters, that might otherwise be inaccessible.

“The single most critical obstacle faced by the individuals and families we serve is the lack of reliable, safe transportation,” said Executive Director Michelle Hillman of Sea Glass Initiative. “It’s the invisible barrier that prevents people from accessing the full spectrum of services they need to exit homelessness.”

Hillman explained that the program currently operates with a donated van driven by a former law enforcement officer who assists clients with care and dignity. The grant will help cover ongoing fuel and maintenance costs and provide bus tickets for family reunification and access to emergency shelter.

Since its founding, the nonprofit has helped more than 60 households transition from homelessness to stable housing. In 2024 alone, it served more than 600 residents through community programs and provided over 8,000 hot meals. The organization reported contributing to a 6.48 percent decrease in Baldwin County’s identified unhoused population.

“This funding ensures the continuation of our high-impact services and allows us to expand our reach,” Hillman said. “It helps us keep transportation a lifeline, not a barrier, on the path to independence.”

Gulf Shores City Administrator Jon Walker praised the organization’s work and community commitment. “Sea Glass Initiative is doing more than offering services; they’re removing barriers that often go unseen,” Walker said. “Reliable transportation can be the difference between crisis and stability. We’re proud to support a program that helps people take real steps toward independence.”

Looking ahead, the Sea Glass Initiative intends to purchase a new passenger van, adopt route-scheduling software, and maintain donor and volunteer support. Other recipients of city grants from the fall 2025 cycle include the South Baldwin Literacy Council, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Gulf Coast Arts Alliance, and the Christian Service Center.