Doris Littleton is an Alabama Bright Light helping other women shine
Doris Littleton, 93, started Home of Grace for Women in her home almost 50 years ago. In the years since, the charity has helped more than 25,000 women. (contributed)
Turning lives around is what the Home of Grace for Women achieves every day.
Doris Littleton started the Home of Grace for Women in her home in the early 1970s. Littleton felt the need to help other women, especially those with addiction problems.
“I was averaging about 14 women in my single-family home at a time,” said Littleton, the founder and executive director. “Over the years, we’ve had over 25,000 women come here from every state in the country.”
Home of Grace for Women, in Mobile, helps with addiction and recovery through combining the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and the teachings of the Christian faith. The organization offers a 12-step program for those addicted; education groups on substance abuse, coping skills, anger management, sexual abuse and parenting skills; aerobic and fitness groups; a GED program; job training and family counseling.
Doris Littleton of the Home of Grace for Women is an Alabama Bright Light from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Littleton is appreciative of the support Home of Grace for Women receives from generous donors including the Alabama Power Foundation.
“The Alabama Power Foundation has been a great blessing to us. They were the first organization that ever donated to us when we first moved here,” Littleton said. “With their incredible support, we were able to expand and get to where we are today.”
Littleton and Home of Grace for Women aim to help addicted women recover and be restored with their families. The women then are encouraged to seek education and jobs and become productive citizens. Littleton and her staff are achieving those goals even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It makes me feel so wonderful when I see this work come to fruition,” she said. “When you see these women come to the Lord and change their lives, it makes it all worth it. We are dealing with the COVID-19 health crisis. It won’t stop us from helping those precious women.”
In 2013, Littleton was honored by receiving the Mobile Bar Association’s Liberty Bell award. While she appreciates that, Littleton doesn’t do it for the recognition.
“There are always children at home who need their mama,” Littleton said. “These women are so happy. When they come here and find out that they are accepted and loved, it just changes their whole lives. We just keep on keepin’ on with this ministry. We have such a wonderful staff here at Home of Grace for Women.”
One of the testimonials listed on the site of Home of Grace for Women includes this statement, which sums up its entire mission: “By His grace and mercy I am still totally clean and sober, my husband is as well. We have moved into a lovely two-bedroom house. I am a full-time student at Bishop State Community College studying to become a social worker.”
Lives are being turned around at the Home of Grace for Women; that is for certain.
For more information, visit www.homeofgraceforwomen.com.
Alabama Bright Lights captures the stories, through words, pictures and video, of some of our state’s brightest lights who are working to make Alabama an even better place to live, work and play. Award-winning journalist Karim Shamsi-Basha tells their inspiring stories. Email him comments, as well as suggestions on people to profile, at karimshamsibasha@gmail.com.
