Providence Park – A community for neighbors in need

A community for neighbors in need

Errin Stanger is passionate about helping people who have no shelter to weather life’s physical, emotional or financial storms. Now, she is literally watching her dream develop into that shelter, Providence Park, one road and roof at a time.

The innovative community, located on 50 acres southwest of Little Rock in Mabelvale, will build 400 permanent tiny homes for chronically homeless people (defined as those who have not had housing for at least a year).

“We are more than just a village,” Stanger said. “We are a place of hope, grace and empowerment.”

The power of connection

In early September, Providence Park began accepting applications from hopeful neighbors (as Errin Stanger, founder and CEO of Providence Park calls them). The project’s first phase includes 100 homes, with 10 homes expected to be ready before the harsh part of winter arrives. Each tiny home has a living and sleeping area, a half bath (with community showers nearby) and a mini kitchen. When neighbors move in, the homes are stocked with a week’s worth of food.

Neighbors can cover their costs by helping in the community’s garden, fruit orchard, convenience store or another location. The goal is to help them transition back into the community. But it isn’t all about work.

Neighbors also can connect and gather in communal kitchens and the Harmony Hall community center, which has a large meeting area, a convenience store, a welcome center and a gift shop. Providence Park also includes a laundry room and a medical clinic. A stage and amphitheater will hold “open mic” nights and movie screenings. A tiny chapel will be open for worship. A memorial garden will be available for reflection. And a dog park will allow pet lovers to have furry friends.

Additional plans include Providence Park Inn, a visitor’s village of donated tiny homes offering overnight accommodation for out-of-town relatives or friends who are visiting neighbors. The inn will also house visiting guests who are there to volunteer or to experience the community with an eye toward replicating it in their own cities. The neighbors will manage both the inn and a makerspace, where locals can create arts and crafts to sell at a community market. A new stop on the Little Rock Region Metro bus route’s southwest loop will provide transportation.

Mental health support through the Blue & You Foundation

In addition to providing shelter, Providence Park will help its neighbors heal mentally, emotionally and physically, thanks, in part, to the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas. Providence Park is one of nine organizations the Blue & You Foundation selected to receive this year’s social determinants of health grants. The grant helps provide in-house and outpatient mental health services led by health professionals and peer-support specialists for addiction and recovery, as well as suicide prevention.

“The support of the Blue & You Foundation is transformational – not just for our team, but for every neighbor who calls Providence Park home,” said Stanger. She said the grant allows her team to dramatically raise the level of care they can give the neighbors, especially in the areas of behavioral and mental health, substance use, suicide prevention and recovery.

“These are not just services – they are lifelines,” Stanger said of the care to be offered. “The Foundation’s generosity allows us to create a compassionate, trauma-informed environment where neighbors can access the resources they need to become stable, recover and thrive.”

“At the Blue & You Foundation, we believe every neighbor deserves access to comprehensive, whole-person care,” said Rebecca Pittillo, president of the Blue & You Foundation. “We are proud to support the creation of an on-site health clinic that brings these vital services directly to the community, making care more accessible to all.”

Research leads to reality

Stanger’s experience with Joan led her to seek out more help for others like Joan. In her free time, Stanger learned more about shelters, facilities and services available in her area. She later expanded her research to study the homeless situation throughout Arkansas, nationally and internationally.

During her research, Stanger visited Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, founded by Alan Graham in 2016. As soon as she saw it, she knew she wanted to replicate it in central Arkansas.

Following Graham’s advice, Stanger set her sights on county land to avoid city zoning issues and connected with Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. Inspired by Stanger’s report on Community First!, Hyde made a trip to Austin to see it for himself. Upon returning, he and other Pulaski County officials offered their support for Stanger’s plans.

Providence Park became a reality thanks to the county’s contribution of $5 million for infrastructure and buildings and the support of more than 100 other organizations and individuals.

Staggering statistics

In January 2024, the number of people counted as homeless in central Arkansas was 1,016, up from 773 the year before, according to a report released in December 2024 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But Matthew DeSalvo, Chief Homelessness Officer for the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs of Little Rock, believes this number understates the true number. He estimates that city employees interact with about 3,000 individuals each year who are homeless.

The homeless population is aging, and more older people are becoming homeless. According to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, about 20% of those who were experiencing homelessness on a single night in the United States were age 55 or older. The statistics in Arkansas follow the national trend, with 22.7% (or about 1 in 5) of those who are homeless being seniors.

 

More than just shelter

“We believe that every person deserves a chance to live with dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances,” Stanger said.

“We are a place where individuals experiencing chronic homelessness can find support, resources and a community to help them get back on their feet.”

There are several ways to get involved with Providence Park. Volunteers can offer their time, talents or skills or donate money toward purchasing a home. They can also help furnish homes or fill them with supplies. For more information on how to help, visit providenceparkhome.com.