Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said there are currently 350 homeless people on the streets of the city, and this week many of them are shivering and trying to stay warm.

“They need a lifeline,” Woodfin said. “They need a bridge, and a beacon of hope as they are facing some of life’s most difficult changes.”

To create a response team to work personally with the homeless, Birmingham signed a $1.7 million contract with San Francisco-based Urban Alchemy, which will run a team called Heart Birmingham.

The homeless outreach program is now in effect. “The work of this homeless outreach program reflects the kind of city we want Birmingham to be,” Woodfin said. “One where dignity is upheld for every individual. They’re valued, and where we refuse to turn a blind eye to the struggles of our fellow residents. Truth is, because they need us.”

Instead of police being called to answer complaints about the homeless, the Heart Birmingham Team will respond. That will reduce strain on emergency services and improve public spaces, Woodfin said.

“Tackling homelessness is not just about programs,” Woodfin said. “The most important thing it’s about is people.”

Heart is an acronym for Homeless Engagement Assistance Response Team. The HEART program launched on Jan. 6 and employs nearly 20 people. Teams will respond to calls from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Artie Gilbert, director of operations for Heart Birmingham, said he moved to Birmingham in November. He has been hiring and training a team, teaching them how to compassionately respond to situations involving the homeless.

Gilbert said the team has worked this week with the warming station at the Jimmie Hale Mission, where the city offers emergency shelter during the extreme cold. The team will be working to identify areas that are “hot spots” for homelessness, Gilbert said.

“We meet each situation and person where they are, de-escalate, and do our best to connect them to resources that can help transform their lives,” he said.

“We have a passion, now that I’m a resident, I have even more passion, to be involved to help people find resources, and not just to relocate or remove anyone, but to help them to get adequate resources: housing, something to eat, showers, and those sort of things,” Gilbert said.

“We plan on transforming our communities through empathy and compassion, most of all,” said Heart Birmingham team member Tori Miles.

“Food and shelter are human rights,” Woodfin said. “Instead of dispatching law enforcement officers to address these basic needs, HEART Birmingham’s team of compassionate, specially trained professionals will support our unhoused residents and connect them with resources they desperately need and most certainly deserve.”