Homeless veterans might have a place to call home as a local church seeks to "resurrect" their hopes for a better life.
Just as Lazarus was resurrected from the grave in the Gospel of John, Gregg Chapel African Methodist Church in conjunction with nonprofit Third Chance, Inc. hopes its Lazarus Project will revive homeless veterans' opportunities by building a new housing complex.
The housing, to be called the House of Valor, will feature six, one-bedroom, fully-furnished apartments. The Rev. Cecil Williams, pastor of Gregg Chapel, said he's reaching out to the community for the next 90 days to help finance the project.
"I see so many homeless veterans come through our church's feeding program," Williams said. "They're here and they're deserving of our help. This project is going to help soldiers who are down and out get back on their feet."
Land owned by Gregg Chapel at 19 Nicholson St. in Fort Walton Beach will be used for the one level, garden style complex. Rent will cost about $500 for veterans. Williams said most of the rent likely will be paid through veteran vouchers.
The Okaloosa County Community Development Corp. has given the Lazarus Project a $200,000 grant. The entire is estimated to cost about $500,000.
"The $500,000 includes demolition of existing houses on the property, infrastructure, building construction costs and landscaping," Williams said.
The Lazarus Project will go further than housing, according to Williams. The Veteran's Court Coordinator, Career Source, Homelessness & Housing Alliance and Bridgeway Center Inc. are partnering with Williams to provide the veterans with new wardrobes, counseling, job opportunities and more.
The housing, to be called the House of Valor, will feature six, one-bedroom, fully-furnished apartments. The Rev. Cecil Williams, pastor of Gregg Chapel, said he's reaching out to the community for the next 90 days to help finance the project.
"I see so many homeless veterans come through our church's feeding program," Williams said. "They're here and they're deserving of our help. This project is going to help soldiers who are down and out get back on their feet."
Land owned by Gregg Chapel at 19 Nicholson St. in Fort Walton Beach will be used for the one level, garden style complex. Rent will cost about $500 for veterans. Williams said most of the rent likely will be paid through veteran vouchers.
The Okaloosa County Community Development Corp. has given the Lazarus Project a $200,000 grant. The entire is estimated to cost about $500,000.
"The $500,000 includes demolition of existing houses on the property, infrastructure, building construction costs and landscaping," Williams said.
The Lazarus Project will go further than housing, according to Williams. The Veteran's Court Coordinator, Career Source, Homelessness & Housing Alliance and Bridgeway Center Inc. are partnering with Williams to provide the veterans with new wardrobes, counseling, job opportunities and more.
Support The Lazarus Project
OR, Send donations to:
Third Chance Inc. 34 Carson Dr., SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Contractors interested in supporting the project can contact architect Jason Floyd at 850- 496-2166. |
|
Gregg Chapel (GC) African Methodist (AME) Church in conjunction with Third Chance, Inc. is building six, one bedroom apartments for homeless veterans in Fort Walton Beach, FL and is seeking donations from the public to help finance the project. The project, which has been labeled by the church family as The Lazarus Project, is soliciting donations from the public to help with the costs of building the six housing units. Preliminary estimates range up to $500,000 which includes demolition of existing houses on the property, infrastructure, building construction costs and landscaping. Land currently owned by the church on the corner of Mallard and Nicholson will be used for the one level, garden style apartment complex.
"The veterans of the United States have sacrified much for our country and although we could never repay them for their service and their sacrifice these housing units will represent a small token of our appreciation. Although veterans were not always welcomed when they returned home, the Gregg Chapel AME Church family plans on extending their arms of love and compassion to the homeless veterans. We feel as if we are doing our part to help those in need in return for them helping our nation, when we were in need. When our nation was in crisis and called upon to help resolve wars and conflicts at home and around the world they answered the call and now we are answering the call to serve them as they have served us and our great nation. Our Biblical call to service requires us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and house the homeless in accordance with Isaiah 58:7 amongst other things and by building these apartments for homeless veterans that is exactly what we plan on doing." says Rev. Williams.
While no one solution can address the full spectrum of problems posed by homelessness, it appears as if permanent housing brings about a much needed stabilizing factor in homeless people's lives. Many things which we take for granted such as a roof over our head, a place to feel safe and secure, privacy, a place to take a shower, access to clean running water and having a place to call home; many homeless veterans do not have and are faced with the cold, hard reality of not having these options or a place to call home. So often especially when it is either raining or cold we think about what it would be like to be out on the streets in inclement weather and have always wanted to do something to provide a permanent solution for this segment of our community who have served us and our country in ways we cannot comprehend.
This project supports our efforts to accomplish this mission by helping us to extend a hand of hope and healing to the veterans of our community by saying Welcome Home.
