Community First! Village is not trying to create a transitional aid project for the homeless in their community. The micro-homes that this faith-based organization builds are a charitable gift for life because its goal is to treat the root causes of homelessness in a person’s life.

The organization believes that traumatic losses are a primary trigger of homelessness. It could be the absence of family, an abusive situation, or the death of a provider.

Addiction and mental illness can also play a role, but Community First! Believes they are more contributing factors than primary triggers.

Their current effort is to create enough capacity to serve 500 people, which would be 25% of Austin’s current homeless population.

This Project Lets People Know Someone Cares About Them

The unique approach to homelessness taken by the Community First! Village is inspired by interviews and feedback from local business owners.

Drug use can be an issue in Austin’s homeless community. Business owners say that most of the homeless stop by to ask for some food or to talk with them because they have no one else in their life.

The addition of housing changes lives by creating social connections. Those who have entered into the Community First! Program says that their decision to do so was a radically life-changing event.

It is an opportunity for each person to feel like they are part of the greater Austin community. There are people from every walk of life in the program, but that diversity doesn’t create conflict. It builds a sense of togetherness.

The Community First! Village helps the homeless know that they can find a place to call home once again. That one simple act is changing lives every day.

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