Rebuilding Lives: Our House works to give homeless individuals tools for independence
AY Magazine
October 30, 2025
Read the full article here
At Our House in Little Rock, individuals and families who are homeless and nearly homeless get a look at a life of endless possibilities.
“It’s been an evolution to get to this point,” said Ben Goodwin, executive director. “Our mission is to help people get out of homelessness in a lasting and permanent way where they’ve solved the major problems that led them to homelessness in the first place.”
With the help of a full staff plus volunteers, clients get the support and tools needed to make a better life a reality, whether that means shelter, mental health services, career training or just a hot meal, Our House takes a holistic approach toward equipping individuals and families with life-changing skills.
If there is a need that is not yet being met, rest assured it is on Goodwin’s to-do list.
“There is no silver bullet,” Goodwin said. “There’s never one thing that led you to become homeless in the first place. There’s never one problem you have to solve to get to a better place in life. It’s different for every person. It’s different for every family.”
Between referrals from partner agencies and general word on the street, almost 100 families contact Our House each month seeking a bed at the shelter. It is more than just a place to land for the night, since Our House pairs its physical amenities with programming that works.
Our House devotes an entire staff to its career center and partners with the Little Rock Workforce Development Board to assist unhoused individuals coming out of incarceration. The work is paying off — 78 percent of those who go through Our House’s career program earn more than minimum wage. Goodwin pointed out that employment only helps if it leads to finding a home and being self-sufficient.
“It really takes a lot of work to even count the number of people who request shelter per month,” he said. “The need is great, but that’s one of the things that drives us. There’s more people out there who need our help.”