FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New Beginnings is a nonprofit organization that provides a transitional self-run housing community for those experiencing chronic homelessness.
Army Veteran and Former New Beginnings resident Tom Fannin and his wife Carol Fannin are getting a fresh start:
"I feel ecstatic. I mean, there are no words to describe how I feel right now, it's a better chance, it's a new chapter in our life," Fannin said.
The couple stayed on campus at the organization in separate cabins for the past two years, but before that, they lived on the streets for eight years.
“It's hard being a married couple and sleeping in different cabins. I mean, it was like I was deployed all over again, but it beats being in a tent... I learned a lot quite a bit living here,” said Fannin.
Now, Fannin's dream of a home is a reality, but it didn’t come without help from the organization.
"Me and my wife were next on the list. but there were some hoops we had to jump through. First, we had to find a landowner that would accept my felony.," Fannin recalled.
New Beginnings is a transitional housing community that helps those who are chronically homeless. They have 20 individual cabins where people stay along with a community building where the tenants have a shared kitchen, shower, bathrooms, laundry, and a support team to offer social services and help reconnect them to housing.
Executive Director Solomon Burchfield says many factors contribute to trouble finding permanent housing:
"Because it's so hard to find permanent housing that's affordable, that has low barriers with it out in our community, a lot of people here have done the work of getting their identity documents, getting health insurance, starting to see a doctor, getting the care that they need, maybe even working, but they've struggled with hitting this wall where we can't find permanent homes that they can move out into."
And as Tom is finally in a home with his wife, he is proof that you can start over.
"I think Tom and Carol really are an inspiration. As others watch the work that they put in. It takes work, patience, persistence, and real support to help people get from where they've been to where they belong. So I love that Tony, Tom, and Carol are the inspiration for our entire community here," Burchfield recalled.
Fannin encourages and advises his neighbors or anyone who has been in his shoes to "just keep going, just keep trying, just keep moving forward. You know, you may get knocked back once or twice, but get back up and do it again. it's worth it. You deserve it."
The organization is hosting a donation drop-off for household items that will go towards the former residents on Saturday, Aug 12 from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the New Beginnings meadow. The address is 251 W 19th Street Fayetteville, Arkansas. For the full Amazon list of items needed click here.
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