CHAYAH

The Greenhouse by CHAYAH will be on 20 acres, enough to host transitional housing for men (who are veterans of war, prison or homelessness) to release to and receive loving mentoring in wise living while they re-enter society. CHAYAH would operate businesses (first, just simple handyman and construction service and eventually an aquaponic greenhouse and restaurant on-site) that provide income for the men, and the re-entering men would regain dignity through hard work and faithful fellowship. They'll each be coached to open Individual Development Accounts at a local bank, learning financial literacy and growing their savings. The entire operation would be facilitated by people in the community who want to come alongside these men and provide them peer support, coaching, workshops and friendship while they work and while they learn. The men living onsite would likewise witness to the community that second chances are necessary for a safe, secure society. An on-line magazine promoting Peace would be published from The Greenhouse (yet another way to provide work for these men). We are a start-up. We need $1.5 million in US money for 150 acres of land, to be put into a Land Grant Trust so that we are eligible for larger grants establishing us in the "business" of benevolence forever. Our purpose is providing decent housing plus supportive services for this integrated population of men who desire to be contributors to their community, but know they need help become self sufficient. We foresee helping 60 men every 2 years. We will start with 5 in the first cottage. Those 5 will build the next cottage for the next 5, and so on, in a pay-it-forward effort. Once all 12 cottages are operating, the men who are not working the agricultural operations will build affordable housing on the remaining acreage and eventually out in the larger community for the working poor and the growing population of elderly on fixed incomes.