A call for something more

On a windy Sunday afternoon in downtown Birmingham, a group of volunteers gathers in a parking lot. As they unload cars, unfold tables and set out food, a long line of people forms, awaiting a hot meal.

Jim McFarland shakes hands and gives out water bottles.

“Everyone here has a different story,” said the Vestavia Hills resident. “We don’t know if they just came off a train or are staying somewhere around here. We are just here to talk to them and serve them the best way we can.”

This weekly meal is just one of many ways McFarland, his business partner Mark Jenkins and a wide net of volunteers serve the homeless of Birmingham through their nonprofit organization, Urban Purpose. Formed in 2010, the ministry helps people through services such as counseling, addiction recovery and employment assistance. This month, Shades Mountain Baptist Church will host a 5K race to raise funds for the nonprofit.

It all began when McFarland felt the call for something more in his life.

Something missing

McFarland had spent his entire career in the construction business. But several years ago, he felt like something was missing in his life.

“I started to become dissatisfied,” he said. “It became a burden to me. I realized I was looking for something else.”

 One day, while at a reception for a friend,  McFarland heard the question, “When are you going to let God start dreaming your dreams in your heart?” He immediately stopped to reflect.

“That’s when it really hit me,” he said.

Searching for a way to fulfill his calling, McFarland and his wife, Karen, began ministering to people under a bridge on Interstate 65.

 “I started carrying firewood down there,” McFarland said. “My wife would bring tea and soup. We really just began reaching out to these people and forming relationships.”

In 2010, McFarland decided to quit the construction business for good, and the Urban Purpose ministry was born.

“I just knew I had the heart for something more,” McFarland said. “We are all broken, people are struggling.”

McFarland was joined by Jenkins, a youth minister at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, who began bringing students down to the spot under the interstate. He was transformed by the experience.

“After taking students down to the bridge, I knew I wanted to do this,” Jenkins said. 

More than a weekly meal

Today, McFarland and Jenkins operate Urban Purpose out of an office in Homewood. They provide food, clothing, shelter, employment opportunities, drug and alcohol recovery and help with psychological needs for homeless people living in Birmingham. 

Urban Purpose’s office space, nicknamed “The Hub,” is shared with about 10 other ministries. McFarland said this encourages them to share ideas.

“We are about navigating all things that deal with life and getting them back on their feet,” McFarland said.  

McFarland speaks with everyone from struggling married couples to recovering addicts.

“We meet them at the coffee shop and listen to their story,” McFarland said. “Then whether it’s doctor’s visits, court visits, we are there to support them every step of the way.”

He said there is also a spiritual component to the ministry, and he wants people to realize that transformation can be a complex process.

“Some people think that a car or just getting a job will solve their problems,” McFarland said. “There are a lot of different components.”

In addition to the daily operations of helping people meet their needs, every Sunday afternoon, McFarland, Jenkins and a group of volunteers head to the parking lot downtown and serve a meal to anywhere from 40 to 120 people.

“It’s about building a relationship with these people,” McFarland said. “This ministry has really required me to sit down and think about things.”

Support from the Urban Purpose 5K

This September, Shades Mountain Baptist Church will host the second annual Urban Purpose 5K and Kids Mess Fest benefiting the ministry. 

“We’ve done a Boston butt fundraiser, and we thought we should do a race, too.” McFarland said. “We really want to bring families together and grow this thing.”

McFarland said the race is challenging, with the course running through the hills and neighborhoods behind the church. 

The Kids Mess Fest portion of the event will take place on the field at the church. There will be water games, slip ’n slides and inflatables. Parents participating in the 5K can drop their children off in this area before the race.

Event attendees can also donate snack items to support Urban Purpose. Suggested items include multi-packs of peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers, granola bars, juice boxes, individual applesauce or fruit cups, peanuts or small bottles of water (all nonperishable). These will be packed in zip-close bags and given out at the downtown meals on Sundays.

Last year’s event drew more than 200 people and raised around $20,000 for Urban Purpose. 

McFarland said he is glad to connect Vestavia Hills with the work of his organization. 

“An interesting point is that we work with people from over the mountain just as much as we do from downtown,” he said. “These people are not far away.”

For more about Urban Purpose, visit urbanpurpose.org.