A group of schoolchildren in the US state of Georgia have come in for huge praise after they got involved in a project to house a homeless Navy veteran and his wife.
Children from Elm Street Elementary in Rome, Georgia, along with other volunteers, stepped up to the plate after they learned of the plight of Eddie Browning and his wife Cindy Browning who were residing in a broken-down camper van in freezing temperatures. The camper van had been devastated by fire sometime earlier.
To fix the homeless problem of the Brownings, the children got together a year earlier and began constructing a tiny house built to exact specifications. In total, the home stands at 248 square feet and has everything, including a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and a fully working water and electricity supply.
Tiny homes are becoming ever more popular as they serve as a cost-effective way to house people at a time when regular housing is becoming more and more expensive. These homes come complete with all the facilities of regular homes but are far more compact. To best utilise the small space, special fold-away features are used and many features serve a dual purpose, such as beds as couches.
While the group built the house, they did not have anywhere to legally place the domicile. That was until recently when they were granted permission by Eatonton Ooh La La Lavender Farm who had learned of the situation.
On hearing the good news, the children presented the house at the Georgia Tiny House Festival held at the Eatonton Ooh La La Lavender Farm.
Eddie and Cindy shed tears of joy as the home was revealed to them, stating that they couldn't be more grateful for the generosity of the children. They said:
"[This] will be warm. We've been freezing to death."
On the back of the success, the school has now pledged to build one brand new home every year for someone in their community who needs it. At present, veterans make up a disproportionate number of those who are homeless, a fact that no US government in the last few decades has dealt with.
[Based on reporting by: Positive Outlooks]
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