At Your Service Foundation (AYSF) was formed as an Alabama nonprofit organization in February 2019. We were granted a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in March 2019 by the Internal Revenue Service.
We were moved to meet the unfulfilled needs of Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals scattered throughout the North Alabama wooded areas exposed to the past winter season's extreme weather. Those individuals had barely the basic necessities of life to survive the elements.
Many civic focused and faith-based institutions do their best to accommodate the immediate shelter, food and warmth needs. However, their limited resources and various institutional capacity shortfalls is a reminder of humanity's responsibility at the national and local level, to care in the best way possible for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We are reminded that it takes a collective effort by all to do our part.
This "find a need and fill it initiative" became the corner-stone for At Your Service Foundation's commitment - to engage in recovery and sustainable human development activities resulted in its formation as a nonprofit entity. Few institutions are equipped to respond to Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individual's basic and immediate survival and environmental protection needs. At Your Service Foundation's goal is to fill those unmet needs by emergency procurement and distribution of high quality emergency commodities comprising of tents, sleeping bags, food, cook stoves with propane cylinders, skillets and pots, clothes, blankets, personal hygiene items and bicycles. Additionally, for the Homeless Veterans or Homeless Individuals who have a dog for companionship, security and protection, we also provide dog food for their pets.
Life is a terrible thing to waste, and by the virtue of the "Power of One", an individual's life can be altered by a kind act, a kind deed by another thus having a ripple effect, impacting the lives of others! At Your Service Foundation (AYSF) is committed to make a positive difference in the lives of Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals, one person at a time, where it is possible.
By consulting and working with contributing partners, bearing comparative relief, recovery and development expertise, interests and strengths, AYSF avoids duplicating the efforts by other civic minded organizations. Instead we engage in the harmonization and amalgamation of institutional comparative strengths, experience, knowledge and expertise that holistically addresses restoring lives, promotes personal development and helps those transitioning from hopelessness to hope possibilities.
Our goal, mission and dream are to be part of the solutions that promote the return of self-sufficient individuals to their communities and livelihoods that are sustainable. We are driven by the wise and powerful age-old statement: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!"
AYSF seeks to promote institutional and individual "Care-Holder" partnerships that encourage a life-long love of learning; promote life experience and knowledge transfer; encourage skills sets development that re-generate sustainable livelihood opportunities across professional and vocational occupational categories through our evolving "Become an AYSF Care-Holder" volunteer and partnership program. Our "Care-Holder" program aims to create marketable and employable opportunities for those committed to their self-development and self-actualization objectives.
At Your Service Foundation does not rely heavily upon federal, state or local government funding as most other organizations do. Our annual fundraising effort through "The Shoals Weekend Getaway for Two" which through your generous $20 or greater donation ensures that our inventory of supplies is maintained to meet the ongoing needs of the homeless in North Alabama. Your donation(s) allows us to serve the Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals which may fall between the cracks in an overwhelmed system. AYSF provides those subjected to the elements with high-quality life sustaining equipment evidenced in the pictures and videos that appear on this site.
On-going donations will ensure that emergency stock levels are maintained for timely distribution when critically needed. Also, your donation represents a Humanitarian and Social Return on Investment (H&SROI) in someone else's future, one person at a time, where it is possible.
At Your Service Foundation (AYSF) founders, volunteers, general supporters of Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals include associations with local Veterans Groups such as the American Legion, Post 31, Tuscumbia, Alabama, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Post 8640, Sheffield, Alabama, and Shoals Elks Lodge 2860, Sheffield, Alabama. Additionally, there are also others that we like to refer to as a community of "Care-Holder Contributors", which includes those that are affiliated with faith based institutions, United Nations experienced individuals and a long list of private sector supporters evidenced by the "Shoals Weekend Getaway for Two" donations by businesses embodying a growing network of "Power of One" difference makers.
As AYSF continues to evolve, we look forward to your involvement as volunteers, corporate sponsors, "Care-Holder Contributors" and specifically, for those possessing professional and vocational skill sets across a wide range of occupational disciplines. We invite you to regularly visit the AYSF website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social media accounts for project news, emerging developments and implementation updates.
Please note the unique color-coding presentation as you view our home page. Its symbolism embodies the following three core values as they pertain to Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals:
Showing Respect
Promoting Dignity
Restoring Pride
It also highlights AYSF's unique mission to respond to the basic survival needs of those trapped within the
There is a further commitment to initiate, and/or, partner with other organizations in ways that help those willing to help themselves transition from the emergency (
This is followed by the ultimate goal of assisting Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals achieve
The
We, At Your Service Foundation, would like to Thank You for supporting this worthy cause for humanity and striving for a better society! Your thoughts and prayers are requested as we take this journey to make life better for Homeless Veterans and Homeless Individuals, one person at a time!
