Local service organization Serving All People has recently begun helping misdemeanor offenders complete their community service, according to Executive Director Gwen Smith.

“Last year I started working with the City of Brookhaven,” she said. “This is the year we’ve really reached out.”

Brookhaven probation officer Rose Wells said those sentenced to community service can volunteer with any non-profit organizations. Wells said community service is generally given as an option for those who can’t afford to pay court fines in misdemeanor cases.

“As long as they’re giving back the the community, we don’t favor any one over the others.”

However, the city does provide a list of suggestions, and Smith recently requested that SAP be added to the list.

“We’re thinking outside the box,” Smith said.

Smith said participants do not work through the organization directly. Instead participants find a senior or disabled community member to help out with for their community service — something that would not be an option for those sentenced without the structure of a non-profit organization.

“If they have somebody that wants to take them to church, they can get their time like that — do community service by taking them to church on Sundays,” Smith said.

SAP was founded in 2002, but they’ve been inactive for several years due to lack of funding. Smith said the organization is in the process of restructuring. Smith said her hope is to have the program operate throughout the state, but for now it’s operating as a pilot program in Brookhaven.

“We’re getting everything back up and running,” she said.

Smith said the organization’s goal is to serve others by providing social services.

“If you come and I can’t help you, I’m supposed to find somebody in the community who can,” she said. “It’s the thing I have in my heart to do.”