AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday for Augusta’s first tiny home community.
City leaders gathered alongside community members in support of the nonprofit Bridge Builder Communities.
They’re spearheading the project which gives young adults aging out of the foster care system a place to go.
The group is finding solutions to providing more than just a roof over their heads.
“Everyone showed up,” said Jackson Drumgoole, the founder of Bridge Builder Communities. “That’s what it’s about. Augusta is full of resources and now we are building those relationships and that’s really important to me.”
Drumgoole says it’s their goal to provide a safe place for young adults to go.
“When kids age out of foster care about 85% have some form of mental health illness due to being displaced,” said Drumgoole. “They have food insecurities, witness violence in some places and moved around from house to house anywhere from 9 to 14 times. So, we want to provide that safety, security so we can prevent some of those other things from happening.”
Drumgoole says 25 tiny homes and a community center will soon go up on the empty lot giving young adults so much more than just a place to live.
“I call it the four E’s, they’ll leave here enlisted, employed, educated or as an entrepreneur.”
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson says this project was unanimously supported by the commission.
“It gives an opportunity for a hand up instead of a handout,” said Johnson. “This is a wonderful location, this was a city asset that was underutilized so making the partnership happen for those in need, it was an easy decision and we look forward to having more.”
Bridge Builders says this is a $5 million project made possible through donations and support from a number of companies helping make this idea a reality.
“Beazley Homes and Ivey Homes, we’ve all heard these names in Augusta,” said Joe Gambill, board chairman of Bridge Builder Communities. “When they heard about it they listened to us and got on board immediately and said, “We can do this for you and in fact we want to make sure you have no cost in doing that,’ we are so thrilled.”
As for what’s next, we’re told crews will come out in the next few weeks to start some ground work and setting up utility lines.
Construction on the community center should start this summer followed by the 25 tiny homes.
They say the goal is to have residents in these homes this time next year.
You can learn more about the project or how to support them on their website.
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