A Friend Indeed: Micah's House equips young men with hope

Micah’s House equips young men with hope

Michelle Wallace, Micah’s House NWA, Director of Community Relations

Day job: Full-time mom to 4-, 6-, and 8-year-olds.
Michelle Wallace, Micah’s House NWA, Director of Community Relations Day job: Full-time mom to 4-, 6-, and 8-year-olds.

Tell us about your organization:

Micah's House is a home trying to change generational cycles of abuse, poverty and addiction. We are not looking for a temporary fix or to give these men a handout. We teach them skills most of us learned in our teen years. We also have young men that don't live in the house but are under the mentoring arm of our organization. These men are in a stable living situation but still need access to life skills and a community of support.

• Mission:

Micah's House equips young men who have aged out of foster care or who are experiencing homelessness to find hope, healing, identity and a place to belong.

• Services provided:

When a young man comes to live with us, he is provided a private bedroom and everything from furniture, sheets and towels to his hygiene products, food and clothes. In addition to meeting his immediate needs, we also form a community of support to surround our young men. We have weekly Thrive Nights where our guys are taught life skills. We invite members of the community to teach everything from sewing on a button to an overview of insurance to pet care and what it really entails to own a dog.

Our success comes from surrounding our guys with a community so that as they walk through life, they have people to cheer them on and people they can count on. When our guys leave our house, they still need someone to introduce a girlfriend to, still need a home on Christmas morning, and still have questions about registering a vehicle.

• Who is eligible?

Any young man, 18-25, who is experiencing homelessness.

• How can services be accessed?

Young men can fill out an application at http://www.micahshousenwa.org/program-application.

• What are your organization's most pressing needs?

Covid-19 has forced us to cancel our two major fundraisers for 2020, so we are looking to fill an expected shortfall of about $50,000. We have been blessed the first half of 2020; our donors stepped up to ensure every single bill has been covered. We are looking to increase our monthly donors the second half of 2020. Families in Northwest Arkansas that can commit to investing a monthly gift can visit our website (www.michashousenwa.org) or our Facebook page (Facebook.com/michashousenwa) to make a commitment to our community.

• Are there volunteer opportunities in your organization?

Our volunteers keep Micah's House running! Volunteer opportunities range from providing a one-time meal to walking with a young man as a mentor. Our greatest need right now is for mentor families to come alongside our men and help create a community that these guys can turn to.

• What other ways may people help?

We always have one-time projects like hanging outdoor lights or coordinating a patio remodel. Our most up-to-date volunteer opportunities can be found at MicahsHouseNWA.org/get-involved

• Why do you work for a nonprofit organization? Do you have a personal connection to the mission?

I want to help create a community that I am proud to live in. These young men will become husbands, fathers, skilled tradesmen, businessmen and community members. I want them to have the same support and opportunities that my three children have. I realize they might be gaining these skills a little later than some, but I know they are worthy of our investment.

More News

Micah’s House NWA

What: The group equips young men who have aged out of foster care or who are experiencing homelessness to find hope, healing, identity and a place to belong.

• (479) 282-0928

micahshousenwa.org

— Carin [email protected]

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