The Harbor: Providing a refuge from life’s storms for more than a decade (2024)

“Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” said Derrick Tiller as he walked through The Harbor building, each room filled with what he calls “in-the-trenches ministry” ranging from feeding the hungry to “wonderful Wednesday volunteers” stocking the clothes closet to Wednesday morning Bible study.

“Our mission is to transform the heart of Dothan through the transforming love and power of Jesus and to serve our community in whatever capacity we can,” he said.

Tiller is finishing his first month as executive director of the 13-year-old community ministry serving from 320 North Foster St. in historic downtown Dothan. The pastor is a “born and raised” Dothan native, the son of the late Elizabeth Tiller, who served for years as director of the Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity. “I try to make her proud every day,” he said.

The Harbor strives to empower people with the training, social support, education, and work experience they need to overcome obstacles, empowering them to build a better life for themselves and their families. “I’ve always been around nonprofits,” Tiller said with a smile. “At first, I swore I would never get into nonprofits, but God had other plans and I said, 'OK, Lord, I submit to your will'.”

Tiller is the pastor at Collins Chapel AME Church in New Brockton. He served previously as branch manager at the main branch of the public library in Dothan. It was there that he interacted with people who visited for temporary relief from the elements and for the free wifi. “It was the only free place that they could come and not be bothered,” he said. “It was there that my passion for helping those in need and struggling grew.

Tiller calls his new position a God-sent opportunity.

“After my mother passed away, I went through a stage where I didn’t have anyone and I lived literally couch to couch,” he said, adding that at one point he was living out of his car after working during the day in an area financial institution. “Now that my life has gone full circle, I feel the urge, the burn, the passion to do for others, to let them know their current situation does not define them.”

The Harbor building in historic downtown Dothan was built as a USO Club during the World War II years, said longtime Harbor volunteer Don Swanson. It served next as a recreation center until the city opened the Doug Tew Recreation Center in the early 1950s. Swanson can point out places where parts of the original gym floors can be seen through the new flooring. The building was home to Love In Action International Ministries and The Harbor was a tenant there before buying the building when Love in Action moved into larger quarters.

There are a variety of ways the community can help serve, Tiller said. Donations of clothing and nonperishable food items, especially items in pop-top ready-to-eat can are always appreciated. “If you want to get into the trenches with us, you can do the outreach on Saturday mornings when we are the busiest doing the hot breakfast and distributing the free food hygiene items.

“We want to create no barriers,” Tiller said. The clothing, food and hygiene items are completely free to the recipient. One of my favorite things is the mobile showers,” said Tiller about the four-stall shower unit on wheels. “Not only can our community members come to take advantage of it, but when a disaster happens, we can bring the unit onto the scene,” he said. “‘Our prayer is that all who enter this unit feel the shower of God’s love upon their lives and they truly know His love for them through our efforts,’ is the painted message on the unit. That pretty much sums it up”

Outreach Pastor Larry Flowers goes into the community daily talking to people, driving people to job interviews, and medical visits. He accepts invitations to hold “neighborhood church” in people’s yards. “It is beautiful to see how God touches people in these open-air services,” Tiller said. “We’re delivering hope, the message that ‘Jesus loves you’.”

“Life just happens for some individuals,” Tiller said. “We are The Harbor; we’re here for you during those storms.”