On Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, Tommy Yarberry slept in a real bed for the first time in three years.

The Willard native, who had been homeless and sleeping in tent camps since 2015, was given the keys to his own 400-square foot house as part of local charity The Gathering Tree’s Eden Village project. Yarberry is the first occupant of the community and hopefully will be joined by 29 others by Christmas Eve this year.

A Place to Call Home

The Eden Village project’s goal is to provide micro-homes for rent, completely furnished and functional, to those in Springfield’s most vulnerable homeless population. The grand opening on August 28 marked the first steps towards reaching this goal.

Residents of Eden Village are selected based on their history of homelessness (at least one year), persistent physical and mental disabilities, and historical involvement in the criminal justice system. The Gathering Tree’s COO, Nate Schlueter, notes that there are many “folks that fall between the cracks” of other charities for the homeless, and these are exactly the kind of people Eden Village wants to reach out to.

Yarberry and future residents will not live in the homes for free: they are responsible for the rent. There is no limit to the amount of time a resident can stay. According to Eden Village’s website, residents can stay “forever…as long as they are a good neighbor to the rest of the Village community.”

(Nate Schleuter photographed by Olivia Thompson)

Humble Beginnings     

Originally, The Gathering Tree operated a drop-in center for the homeless in downtown Springfield at Vineyard Church. Anyone in need was welcome. The vision for Eden Village itself was developed after The Gathering Tree founders, David and Linda Brown, realized a greater need to provide actual homes.

After meeting with each other so frequently, volunteers and the Browns personally connected to many of the attendees. These friendships inspired the Browns to create a tiny home community with resources for the homeless, which is now Eden Village. The Browns got to work, and Schlueter recalls that “in August of 2016, Eden Village raised its first dollar.”

In 2017, The Gathering Tree was awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. As a result, Eden Village began to attract the attention of donors in the community, who provided over $3 million to fund the project. The funding and work came from volunteers. Even Drury freshmen pitched in during the Service Plunge this year to help the village take its first steps in welcoming its new residents.

From Tents to Tenant

Yarberry’s first few nights have gone smoothly, and he is adjusting well to his new home. Schlueter reports that Yarberry has already been going to work regularly, and is beginning to settle in.

“Our goal is that Springfield will become the first city where no one sleeps outside,” Schlueter stated. Thanks to the great success of the grand opening of the village, it no longer seems like a far-fetched aspiration.

The celebration of Eden Village’s opening drew a crowd of nearly 600 people; among the audience were Missouri Representative Billy Long and Bishop Edward Rice. Community members piled into the 4.5-acre property to witness the moment that Yarberry received his keys.

Each unit comes with its own kitchen, living room and bathroom. Residents will also have access to community areas such as mental health counselors, laundry facilities, a clubhouse for Sober Living activities and a computer lab. Both the homes and facilities are located at 2801 E Division Street.

Article written by Olivia Thompson