why it matters to us : This isn't just about building four walls, food, showers, or a bed to sleep in. While all of those things are core aspects of what is being provided by the Village, it is the belief that community and connection are what heals. It's about reaching out to our brothers and sisters, regardless of where they've been and helping transform their lives starting with four walls, food, showers, and a bed to sleep in. "A house isn't going to solve homelessness, but community will." We are going to be a part of the epic compassion that is flowing in and out of Community First Village with the hope and prayer that it will restore lives and build momentum to span across the world.
about : "Mobile Loaves & Fishes is leading an unprecedented collaborative effort to mitigate homelessness in the city of Austin. This transformative community exists to care for and serve our friends who are coming out of chronic homelessness and yearn for a permanent place to call home."
The village is filled with micro-homes, laundry/bathroom/shower facilities, outdoor kitchens, RV homes, a community garden, a community cinema sponsored by The Alamo Drafthouse, a community art studio, a screen printing shop, a health resource center, a woodworking shop, and more. It is not free to live in the Village, but if a person doesn't already have employment, they provide jobs working directly in the community to earn fair wages. Whether it's leading public tours, working in the Community Market, and a number of other ways you can learn about here.
how we hope to help : What started for us as a conversation and "pie in the sky" dream to one day build a tiny village to share our abundance and provide a safe haven for others, has turned into an opportunity to partner with our own community to do just that.
With each project we complete, we are going to be setting aside at least 10% of our profit towards building as many micro-homes as we can for Community First Village. Each micro-home costs $25,000 and an additional $10,000 to furnish to provide the comforts of home.