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Back Bay Mission operates the only client-choice food pantry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This pantry is available to anyone living in the 39530, 39531, or 39540 ZIP codes, as well as homeless individuals and families.

You must provide evidence that you live in one of the eligible ZIP codes. This should be in the form of a photo ID for all adults in the household plus either a utility bill or a signed and dated letter from your landlord.

You may use the food pantry once every 30 days.

The pantry is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am, and on Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm.

Back Bay Mission offers financial assistance with prescription medication. The Mission will provide medication through Economy Drugs. The amount of assistance provided depends on the price of the medication.

The Mission does not help with narcotics or pain medication

Prescription assistance is available through walk-in appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am.

Back Bay Mission can help you get a copy of your birth certificate or a Mississippi State ID if you are enrolling a child in school, applying for public housing, or applying for a job. You must provide appropriate documentation to get your birth certificate or State ID.

Birth Certificate and State Identification assistance is available through walk-in appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am.

Back Bay Mission can provide up to $250 to help with electricity and water bills (any additional amount you own must be paid before you meet with us). Utility assistance is only available by appointment.

To make an appointment, call the Mission at 228-432-0301 on Thursday at 9am. Appointments will be made for the following week (and occasionally for the week after that). Appointments fill up fast, so please do your best to reach the Mission at 9am or shortly after!

At your appointment, our caseworker will perform a needs-based assessment. This will take many things into consideration, including your income, the size of your households, and other financial obligations, to determine whether you are eligible for assistance.

If you are approved for assistance, the Mission will provide up to $250 for your utility bill. If you owe more, that amount must be paid off before your appointment.

You may receive utility assistance once every twelve months and only two times total. There is also a $250 lifetime maximum for utility assistance. If you receive assistance, anyone 18 years old or older in your household is also considered to have received assistance.

The Mission does not help with gas bills.

Back Bay Mission operates a small Storage Closet for homeless individuals in the Micah Day Center. The Closet keeps clothing, hygiene items, bags, backpacks, towels, and other assorted items. Inventory varies.

If the Mission does not have the items you are looking for, we will direct you to other organizations that provide these things (Salvation Army, Goodwill, Our Lady of Fatima, etc.).

The Storage Closet is available at the Micah Day Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am and from 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

If you are homeless and need a place to do laundry, Back Bay Mission can provide that service at the Micah Day Center.

You will be asked to place the items you want washed in one of our mesh clothing bags. You’ll be given a ticket that corresponds to that bag. When your clothes are washed and dried, they will be placed in the designated pick up area.

You may have up to two changes of clothing and one bag of laundry cleaned each day.

The Mission does not launder shoes, sleeping bags, blankets, or bedrolls.

Laundry not picked up within 10 days will be distributed to others.

Laundry is available at the Micah Day Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am. All laundry must be dropped off my 10:30am.

If you are homeless and need a place to take a shower, Back Bay Mission can provide showers at the Micah Day Center.

Showers are available on a first come, first served basis. Each shower can last up to 15 minutes. The Mission provides body wash or soap, shampoo, and a towel.

Showers are available at the Micah Day Center on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am, and on Tuesdays from 9am to 12pm.

If you are homeless and need a mailing address, telephone access, or internet access, you may be able to receive those services through the Micah Day Center.

To receive these services, you must be a registered client of the Micah Day Center.

The Micah Day Center is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 11:30am.

Back Bay Mission may help with home repairs and necessary renovations for homeowners who make no more than 80% of the area median income. Sometimes, we may be able to help other homeowners who we believe would benefit from our help.

Homeowners seeking help should contact the Mission to learn whether we are accepting applications and to being the application process.