SAN ANTONIO — Pastor Alex Fleming is passionate about helping the homeless in San Antonio. And Sunday, January 2, he helped launched a new app to help.
Click here to download the app, which can help those who want to get the homeless out of the elements so they can see available beds. The app has meal schedules on it.
Life Restored Church, where Fleming pastors, takes those without a roof over their heads when the temperature drops to 32 degrees and below.
"I tell people there's two things that I must do. Hear God's voice and then be obedient," Fleming said.
His church on the corner of Arbor Place has fed, provided clothing, blankets, showers, tents and ministered to the homeless for the past six years.
Fleming works with the Church Under the Bridge, Last Chance Ministries, Travis Park Church, the Restoring Church, and Grace Lutheran Church to provide services to the homeless, especially during frigid weather.
"The Lord was saying, listen, let's use wisdom and make it concise and one device," he said.
According to Fleming, the group made a $6,000 investment to make their services more efficient.
"Last year, we had a lot of EMS, cops calling us," he said.
Collectively they have more than 200 beds for the homeless. On the app, a user can even make a reservation for a person in need. Fleming said the reservation puts that bed on hold for an hour.
"It's one step closer to helping the homeless more efficiently using technology," he said.
Danny Jarelson came to Life Restored Church with a complicated past. The 50-year-old has mental health issues, battles alcoholism, and has fought off self-mutilation.
"Right now, I've been on the streets about seven years," he said.
His connection to the coalition comes before the app's launch. But Jarelson said cherishes the value of their helping hands.
Without them helping him out of the cold, Jarelson said his outcome can get summed up in one word, "dead."
Fleming said the app is available on both Apple and Android devices and especially helps emergency responders, too.