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MACH’s Story
It starts in 1996, when the City of Montgomery appointed 20 organizational representatives to form the Montgomery Area Coalition for the Homeless.
Those 20 representatives were associated with agencies that provided health, mental health, and social services in the community. The purpose of this unincorporated group was to provide the necessary community assessment, coordination and planning related to homelessness in order to make the community agencies eligible for homeless continuum of care funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
get to know us
MACH’s Story
It starts in 1996, when the City of Montgomery appointed 20 organizational representatives to form the Montgomery Area Coalition for the Homeless.
Those 20 representatives were associated with agencies that provided health, mental health, and social services in the community. The purpose of this unincorporated group was to provide the necessary community assessment, coordination and planning related to homelessness in order to make the community agencies eligible for homeless continuum of care funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The members of the Coalition met monthly to discuss issues related to homelessness in the Montgomery area, resulting in the award of the first HUD homeless continuum of care grant in 1997 subsequent to the formation of the organization.
The members of the Coalition met monthly to discuss issues related to homelessness in the Montgomery area, resulting in the award of the first HUD homeless continuum of care grant in 1997 subsequent to the formation of the organization.
The Growing Need for Support
Between 1996 and 2001, the Coalition operated as an unincorporated organization. During this period of time, the community interest in homelessness was growing and the membership was expanding to include business, religious, government, health, legal and homeless community representatives.
On December 20, 2001, the Montgomery Area Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. was incorporated as an Alabama nonprofit corporation eligible for tax exemption as an IRS 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization. In 2003, the organization officially expanded its activities to include Montgomery, Elmore, Lowndes and Bullock counties. Autauga County was added in 2009. As a result of this expansion, MACH began doing business as the Mid-Alabama Coalition for the Homeless on December 9, 2003.
From 2001 to 2006, the members of the Board of Directors were 30 of the organizational representatives and supportive members. As a result of a consultation session provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it was decided by the membership that a smaller Board of Directors was needed for the governance of the organization, and on January 26, 2006, MACH elected a thirteen member Board of Directors to govern the organization. The Board was expanded to sixteen members in January 2011.
The Growing Need for Support
Between 1996 and 2001, the Coalition operated as an unincorporated organization. During this period of time, the community interest in homelessness was growing and the membership was expanding to include business, religious, government, health, legal and homeless community representatives.
On December 20, 2001, the Montgomery Area Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. was incorporated as an Alabama nonprofit corporation eligible for tax exemption as an IRS 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization. In 2003, the organization officially expanded its activities to include Montgomery, Elmore, Lowndes and Bullock counties. Autauga County was added in 2009. As a result of this expansion, MACH began doing business as the Mid-Alabama Coalition for the Homeless on December 9, 2003.
From 2001 to 2006, the members of the Board of Directors were 30 of the organizational representatives and supportive members. As a result of a consultation session provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it was decided by the membership that a smaller Board of Directors was needed for the governance of the organization, and on January 26, 2006, MACH elected a thirteen member Board of Directors to govern the organization. The Board was expanded to sixteen members in January 2011.
MACH Board
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Acquanetta Knight, M.Ed.
Retired
Immediate Past President
Ghandi Daniels, MSW
Executive Director, The Wellness Coalition
President
Jayme Teague
Executive Director,
Vice President
Cynthia Bisbee, Ph.D.
Consultant, Bisbee & Associates, LLC
Secretary/Treasurer
Ken Austin
Executive Director, The Mercy House
Craig H. Baab
Retired
Preston Cobb
Community-at-Large Member
Tasha Cooper, MS
Executive Director, HandsOn River Region
James Dupree, Jr.
TMS Consulting, LLC
Donna Leslie, LPC
Executive Director, Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority
James Lovejoy, MS
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity / Manhood, Inc.
Michael Murphree, PIP, LICSW, MSW
Community-at-Large Member
Bernard Houston, J. D., M. Ed
Alabama State Department of Human Resources Administrator for Childcare Services and Workforce Development
MACH Staff
Kierra Guyton Allen
Case Manager
Email
MACH Funders & Supporting Organizations
Our sincerest thanks to the funders who are helping make MACH’s work possible. If you or your business is interested in sponsoring the work of MACH, please contact the MACH office at (334) 261-6182.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is committed to their mission: Building Better Alabama Communities. Through partnerships with local governments, nonprofit groups, state and federal agencies, and other agencies, the men and women of ADECA work every day to improve the quality of life for Alabamians.
St. John’s Episcopal Church, established in the 1830s, is a vibrant part of downtown Montgomery. With an active congregation of all ages, beautiful liturgy and music, and exciting offerings in Christian formation, mission, and ministry, they share in the life and energy of the Kingdom of God that is alive and well in this area.
