Tiny homes with a big purpose: Tucson nonprofit launches new program to help vulnerable youth

A local nonprofit is launching a new program to help vulnerable and homeless youth in our community.

THIS EMPY LOT AROUND ME WILLSOON BE FILLED WITH TEN TINYHOMES STARTING TWO YEARS AGOWITH ONE WOMANS VISION.

ITSTARTS WITH YOU.

YOU'RE THECHOSEN ONE.

YOU ARE SOMEBODY.YOU ARE SOMEBODY.

THREE WORDSECHOING IN THE MINDS OF LIZMARISELA AND MAGENTA.SOMETHING THEY NEVER BELIEVEDUNTIL THEY MET DESIREE COOK.ELIZABETH MEADOWS / PART OFTHE SMALL HOMES EXPERIENCEHONESTLY IT JUST FEELS LIKE MYPRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.MARISELA CAZARES / PART OF THESMALL HOMES EXPERIENCE I HAVELIKE A PURPOSE OR IT JUSTMAKES ME FEEL WHOLE, LIKE ANACTUALLY HUMAN BEING.

RIGHTNOW THERE ARE 7,000 KIDS ONTHE STREETS AND 3,000 INFOSTER CARE IN PIMA COUNTY.EACH OF THEM HAS A STORY.

FROMTHEIR TIME IN FOSTER CARE ANDGROUP HOMES ONE THING HASREMAINED THE SAME THEY DON'THAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME.MARISELA CAZARES / PART OF THESMALL HOMES EXPERIENCE I FEELLIKE A LOT OF ADULTS DON'TUNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU AGEOUT OF THE SYSTEM, YOU DON'THAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.

WHEN YOUGROW UP IN THE FOSTER CARE ORGROUP HOMES JUST BECAUSE YOUTURN 18 OR YOU BECOME AN ADULTIT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVEEVERYTHING TOGETHER.

DESIREECOOK SAYS SHE SAW THIS GAP INTHE SYSTEM TWO YEARS AGO.

SOSHE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OFTHE SMALL HOME EXPERIENCE.THIS VISION GIVINGVULNERABLE AND HOMELESS YOUTHA PLACE TO CALL THEIR OWNBUT ALSO TEACHING THEM HOW TOINTEGRATE BACK INTO SOCIETYTHROUGH SCHOOL AND WORK.DESIREE LYNN COOK / FOUNDER OFI AM YOU 360 IT'S MANDATORYTHAT WE CHANGE THE DIRECTORYOF THEIR LIFE AND REALLY LETTHEM KNOW THAT THERE AREFORCES AND PEOPLE THAT ARECHEERING THEM ON BECAUSE THEYREALLY HAVE NOT HADCHEERLEADERS IN THEIR LIFE.

ANIDEA NOW A REALITY.

TEN 400SQUARE FOOT HOMES ARE BEINGBUILT ON THE EMPTY LOT BEHINDDESIREE'S NONPROFIT I AM YOU360.

EACH CREATED BY EMVDESIGN BUILT.

EDITHVILLALOBOS- ZAMORA / OWNER OFEMV DESIGN BUILD COMING IN ANDBEING PART OF THE BUILT UP FORTHEIR FACILITY AND THEIR HOMESIT'S SUPPORTING THE MISSIONGROWING THE YOUTH INTO ABETTER AMERICA.

THE HOUSES AREBEING MADE OUT OF THISINSULATED CONCRETE FORMESSENTIALLY PUT TOGETHER LIKELEGOS.

THIS GIVES THESE GIRLSTHE OPPORTUNITY TO (LITERALLY(BUILD THEIR OWN HOME.

JEFFLOGSDON / LEAD PASTOR AT HOPECITY CHURCH AS I'M LISTENINGTO THE STORIES OF THE STUDENTSI'M THINKING OF AN IMAGERY INBLINDSIDE, THE MOVIE BLINDSIDEWHEN THE INDIVIDUAL LOOKS ATHIS BED AND SAYS I'VE NEVERHAD A BED BEFORE.

AND WE'RENOT TALKING ABOUT A BED, WE'RETALKING ABOUT A PLACE THATTHEY CAN CALL THEIR OWN.ELIZABETH MEADOWS / PART OFTHE SMALL HOMES EXPERIENCEONCE I GET TO LIVE IN THISPLACE, MAYBE THEN I'LLACTUALLY FEEL LIKE WHAT ANACTUALLY HOME FEELS LIKEBECAUSE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FEELSLIKE.

MARISELA CAZARES / PARTOF THE SMALL HOMES EXPERIENCEIF I HAVE MY OWN HOME NO ONECAN EVER, EVER TAKE THAT AWAYFROM ME.

NO ONE CAN EVER KICKME OUT.

MAGENTA SANCHEZ / PARTOF THE SMALL HOMES EXPERIENCEIT'S STRONG FOR ME BECAUSE IHAVE A ROOF OVER MY SON'S HEADTHAT I'M WORKING FOR.

I'MGOING TO SCHOOL FOR.

I'MTAKING THE CIRICULM FOR.

ANDMOVING INTO THESE TINY HOMESMORE THAN JUST FOUR WALLSBUT START OF SOMETHING NEW.DESIREE LYNN COOK / FOUNDER OFI AM YOU 360 I'M EXCITED TONOT JUST SEE THEM LIVE, BUTTHRIVE AND REALLY BE SEWN BACKINTO THE FABRIC OF OURCOMMUNITY.

DESIREE SAYS THEYHOPE TO BREAK GROUND ON THEIPROJECT WITHIN THE YEAR ANDONCE THEY DO THAT WE'LL BEFOLLOW THEIR STORY RIGHT HEREON KGUN9.

REPORTING AT I AM