Gleaning on the Streets of Memphis: Nonprofit Hub Provides Employment and Redemption for Homeless Individuals

Mariah’s life has been marked by profound loss and struggle. At 11, she witnessed her mother’s death during a police chase in West Memphis. By 19, she had begun her first job at a local McDonald’s, only to leave it two days later when she learned her father had terminal liver cancer. As his sole caregiver, she lost 80 pounds in a deepening depression. Her father passed away within nine months, and the family home was foreclosed. In the wake of these tragedies, heroin became a false promise of relief, eventually giving way to fentanyl and methamphetamine, which left her with damaged teeth by age 30.

Mariah now recognizes the impact of her childhood instability on her mental health. “I couldn’t feel my feelings,” she recalls. Her descent into homelessness was marked by a 2018 arrest, which led to a stint in Tennessee’s drug court system. This alternative sentencing model provided counseling, support groups, and resources for nonviolent offenders. She credits the experience with turning her life around, even as she remains grateful for the opportunity it offered.

It was through a sober-living facility that Mariah encountered the Business Hub of Binghampton Development Corporation, or “the Hub,” a nonprofit founded by Christ Methodist Church in Memphis. The Hub processes large-scale recycling, including city streetlights, mattresses, Styrofoam, and Amazon returns. The warehouse floor often hosts a variety of items, from stair machines to HVAC units.

The Hub has become a vital resource for the Binghampton community, employing over 200 residents despite the area’s challenges of blight, economic hardship, and high unemployment. Director Andy Kizzee envisions a redemptive future for the neighborhood. In 2026 alone, the Hub diverted 2,500 tons of material from landfills. Since 2023, it has processed over 200,000 streetlight fixtures. Employees also participate in a paid, full-time development program aimed at securing living-wage careers.

As Mariah worked, she grinned at the challenge of disassembling a fixture. Her presence at the Hub reflects a broader narrative of transformation and opportunity. The Hub’s work aligns with the biblical call to care for the marginalized, as seen in Proverbs 31:8-9, which urges justice for the vulnerable. Through its efforts, the Hub offers not only environmental stewardship but also a pathway to dignity and purpose for those in need.

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