Community First! Village provides permanent housing and community support to people experiencing chronic homelessness in Austin. The 51-acre master-planned community is a place where formerly homeless neighbors can engage on a journey of restored hope and dignity.
By Madden R. and Ethan B.
St. Andrew's fifth graders went on a field trip to Community First! Village to learn about homelessness more in depth and to empathize with the residents by learning some of their stories.
Community First! Village is a village run by the charity Mobile Loaves & Fishes. It is located in Austin, Texas. Community First Village finds people that have been homeless for over 2 years. They take those people and give them shelter, food, water, clothes, and all other necessary appliances.
Community First! Village is made up of many types of buildings. There are tiny houses which have a bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. There are RVs which are a bit bigger. There are community eating areas with picnic tables, stoves, refrigerators, and utensils. The village also has a community garden, a mini plaza, a greenhouse, and much more. Community First! is very animal friendly, having cats running around, residents walking their dogs, and a large pen to hold chickens. The residents of Community First! get a salary but have to pay rent. The rent can be easily covered by the salary. The reason why they have the rent is that it gives a sense of ownership.
As of February 2021, a little more than 200 formerly homeless people are currently living in the village. Community First! Village is also working on Phase II, which will house nearly 500 formerly homeless people.
Grade 5 students did landscaping work while at the village. They were able to interact with residents who served as tour guides and volunteer coordinators. Student Teddie G. said, “Not only did this impact me but it impacts our community. Now I feel more strongly about helping our homeless community and how small actions can be good enough to make another person smile."
Michele Turner, a fifth grade teacher, also had something to say. “One of the things that global citizens do is they take action when they see a problem. Homelessness is all around us here in Austin. By volunteering at Community First! Village, we’re making a small impact and becoming more aware of what this global issue looks like here in our own city."
Many students expressed a connection to the residents at Community First! Village. "It is almost as if the people there are all one big family," said student Landon P. "I felt as if I were part of that family too."
Students give one the village cats some love while taking a tour with Kristy, a Community First! Village resident.
Photo by Audrey Train, parent
Students filled several bags full of weeds while landscaping around residents' homes.
Photo by Mark Garcia, teacher
Students took some time to reflect on their experiences at Community First! Village.
"Community First! Village has opened my eyes to how hard things can get."
— Madelyn G.
Listen to her full reflection here
"I think what the Village is doing is great. I want to be a part of something like this one day."
— Sally Q.
Listen to her full reflection here
"My experience at Community First really impacted me because it made me realize how grateful I am for all that I have."
— Finley W.
Listen to her full reflection here
"Community First! made me feel like there are a lot of good people left in the world."
— Jack S.
Listen to his full reflection here
"It changed my perspective on homeless people."
— Louise B.
Listen to her full reflection here
Students collect weeds while volunteering.
Photo by Audrey Train, parent
By Logan J.
Community First! Village was an amazing experience. But it was also sad knowing there’s even more homeless people out there who still don’t have homes. I learned that Community First! Village is run by a company named Mobile Loaves & Fishes, and its goal is to get all the homeless to have a house of their own. Not only do the people there now have a house, but they have a community. It was amazing to see how much work they’ve done and how many houses there were. It was also really cool interacting with the members of the Community First! Village, seeing what it’s like. It impacted me personally because I was inspired and wanted to help the homeless too. It changed my perspective because at first I thought that a couple of people couldn’t do something big to help homelessness, but then I saw Community First! Village, and my perspective completely changed. All in all, Community First! Village is inspiring, helping, and most all, changemaking.
To make an IMP∆CT:
Please consider volunteering or donating to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, the nonprofit organization that runs Community First! Village as well as a food truck ministry in the Austin area.
Learn more here
