THV 11
December 25, 2022
by Julissa Garza
Watch more on THV 11 here!
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The holidays are here, which means that the spirit of giving is alive and well.
Our House is an organization that works year-round to provide a safe space for people experiencing homelessness.
“Housing, childcare, help finding a job, mental health services, and a whole lot more,” said Executive Director, Ben Goodwin.
Goodwin explained that during the holidays they also work to make sure no one feels alone, especially during Christmas.
“We want to make sure that they have a Christmas that is going to be really special and meaningful for them,” said Goodwin. “And we’re grateful to the community for helping make that possible.”
The community that has made Christmas day special is the Jewish Federation of Arkansas, and they have been serving Christmas dinner at Our House for over 14 years.
“Every Christmas, they come in and don’t just bring a bring a meal, but they bring a real party and a celebration,” Goodwin described.
Jim Pfeifer is one of the many volunteers who spent Christmas day in the kitchen, and he explained that there’s an abundance of love and support for all denominations within the state.
“We’re grateful to give back to the community in any way we can,” Pfeiffer added.
He said he’s been lending a helping hand for 20 years now and looks forward to helping out for many more.
“You have camaraderie with your group, you build up relationships,” said Pfeifer.
“And then the folks that live here are wonderful folks, you learn from them,” he added.
Goodwin said that it’s volunteers like Pfeiffer who actually help keep their mission going.
“The lifeblood of our house is support from generous people from the community from all different walks of life,” he said. “It’s really just part of the foundation upon which our success is built.”