People along the Gulf Coast are struggling as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

If they aren’t struggling financially, there is fear that the “way of life” they have enjoyed for so many years may be in danger.

As a result, some local churches and individuals in the community have joined together to form an organization called “Oil Spill Care-Givers,” a service to provide persons seeking care and active-listening support from local, trained counselors who are intimately acquainted with the nature of the crisis our communities face.

Dr. Alan McBride, pastor of Orange Beach United Methodist Church, said that the group includes two pastoral counselors including himself and Jim White, as well as 11 trained care-givers.

“Our sole function is to listen,” McBride said Tuesday, addressing the Orange Beach City Council. “Our workers are trained in what is called active listening. It is confidential, it is safe, there is no fee associated with it, and we will even schedule to meet with someone whenever they are available.”

McBride said that people who work with the Vessel Of Opportunity program who might not be available until later in the evening may set up a time to talk with a counselor.

“I think that a safe opportunity for confidential venting and expressing concerns is something that is missing.

You know, it is 15 minutes of people coming in and saying ‘This is what is bugging me’ and we can talk to them and tell them that we understand. The neat thing about it is that our care-givers are people who already live here and who are intimately aware of the issues people are facing.”

McBride says that the advantage is counselors do not have to take a lot of time finding out why people are there.

They already know. So they can spend more time lending an ear.

“It has been a wonderful way of serving the community.”

Oil Spill Care-Givers can be contacted for immediate assistance to community members by calling Karen Fleming at 981-6751 or kfleming@orangebeachumc.org.

Individuals who would like to make a donation to Oil Spill Care-Givers to assist families in need, they can call 981-6751 or send a check to Orange Beach UMC, 28751 Canal Road, Orange Beach, AL 36561 and put Oil Spill Care-Givers in the memo box.