Tiny house being built in Salina to help homeless people in Missouri

As people drive along Cloud Street in Salina during the next two weeks, they may see the progression of a small home being built by their fellow community members to help people a state away.

As part of Tiny House Ministries, members of New Community Christian Church and other members of the Salina community and elsewhere, are using their free time, or in the case of some, vacation time from work, to create a single, micro, tiny house.

"This one happens to (be) 8-feet wide and 18-feet long and built on a double-axel camper trailer," said Tom Hawks, who is leading the building effort in Salina.

Tom Hawks and his wife, Eva Hawks, who live in Smolan and attend New Community, created Bent Nail Ministries, an organization that provides volunteers and supplies to other places for short-term mission trips. It was through this ministry that the couple became connected with Curtis White and Tiny House.

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"What (White) does is partner up with local churches, which then partner up with local homeless shelters," Tom Hawks said. "Then those that are homeless and want to come out of the homeless environment and back into the regular community will go to these churches that have restoration programs."

This tiny house is headed to Missouri

The tiny houses built for the ministry are used in these restoration programs to give people a place to live, with a little bit of independence.

In the case of the house being built in Salina this month, it will be taken to Carterville, Missouri, part of the Joplin metro area, and given to the First Baptist Church there.

"Each church does something different," Hawks said. "(First Baptist) was given a church in town, another Baptist church that closed, and they're going in and making that an apartment complex."

He said once the complex is complete, people will have a place to live while taking part in the restoration program.

"They're going to put four of five of these tiny houses right up next to the building, so that as (people in the program) progress and grow, they'll give them more independence," Hawks said.

People in these tiny houses will still be taking part in the restoration program but will be given the opportunity to learn how to live more on their own, rather in a group housing setting.

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Hawks said by providing something like housing, it can be a way to provide comfort to those that need it.

"If you can provide that comfort for them, that (in turn) can help (ministries) focus on other needs they may have," Hawks said.

Working together for a common good

This is the second year that New Community has hosted a build in its parking lot, but it is the fifth year that it and Bent Nail Ministries has been involved with Tiny House Ministries, having taken short-term mission trips to build houses before COVID hit.

In 2021, Hawks said there was an average of 17 people working each day in Salina during the tiny house project, and this year he's expecting about the same.

For those who are involved, which includes more than just the builders, but also people like painters and kitchen staff supporting the builders, it's a rewarding experience to be able to help people they may never meet, especially doing it with people who share a common belief.

"I'm here to help build this house for somebody that needs it," said Josh Call.

Call, who is from Salina originally but now lives in Arizona working as a truck driver, took a week of his vacation time to travel back home and volunteer his time.

"(One thing) that's important to me is the fellowship of good people who share a belief and are doing good for other people," Call said.

Helping with this particular project is somewhat personal for Call as well.

"I've been, basically, homeless before," Call said. "I've never been (living) on the street, but I've been very close to being there."

Having this perspective means that Call understands what this ministry means to those who need it.

"It gives you a new start and a hope," Call said. "If I was homeless and somebody did this for me, it would change my life."

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina community building tiny home for homeless people in Missouri