Urban Alchemys H.E.A.R.T. program aims to transform lives in Birmingham [Video]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Urban Alchemy’s Homeless Engagement and Response Team (H.E.A.R.T.) has officially hit the streets of Birmingham with a mission to improve the lives of the city’s homeless population. The initiative, spearheaded by team members with personal connections to homelessness, is designed to provide resources and compassionate support to those in need.

For H.E.A.R.T. operator Erica Hooper, the mission is deeply personal.

“Those who are without services I’m very familiar with. So my family has a history of it, my mother was unhoused right after I was born. I’ve been unhoused myself. My brother’s someone who’s been on these streets for years,” said Hooper.

Birmingham’s H.E.A.R.T. program is focused on addressing the over 4,200 non-emergency calls related to homelessness or mental health issues made to 911 every year. The program aims to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with critical services to help them transition off the streets.

For Hooper, the work is a …