OurCommunity

OurCommunity is located on 280 acres of unincorporated land near Ferris, Texas. All buildings will be on 120 acres of land. The remaining land will not be built on: it will be filled with trees, cattle, and three large ponds prime for fishing.

We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves, and we have identified a significant number of neighbors who cannot live independently without full on-site support services.

OurCommunity’s goal is to provide housing and a wealth of wrap-around services to allow our most vulnerable neighbors to age with dignity.

Much like a small town, OurCommunity will have a main street with a large cafeteria, coffee shop, chapel, laundry facility, gardens, workshops, and lounge area. Dozens of tiny home neighborhoods will surround these service buildings. Home sizes will vary between one-bedroom and three-bedroom homes. 20% of those living in the community will be Missionals. These residents will pay market-rate rent, have been called to serve the men and women in this community and will act as mentors and community planners for their neighborhood.

When fully built out, OurCommunity will feature 500 homes nestled into neighborhoods and a support service building featuring dozens of on-site services, including a 3-meal cafe, a medical clinic, mental healthcare, counseling, mentoring, clothing distribution, laundry services, a library, a coffee shop, a Church, and spaces for Bible Studies and addiction recovery classes.

Phase I, which is expected to be completed by late Fall 2025, will include the first neighborhood with 25 homes, a clubhouse, and some site infrastructure – including main roads into the property, parking lots, landscaping, and utilities. The funding also covered the land purchase, land improvements, and master plans.

Subsequent Phases will include the support service building and remaining neighborhoods.

Residents of OurCommunity will be from Dallas County and Ellis Counties. More specifically, this community will be for the disabled, elderly, and those with long-term care needs to age with dignity.

No, this will be permanent housing, specifically for those who are disabled and elderly, where they can age with dignity. Residents will not ‘graduate’ or transition out of the program.

OurCommunity is not free, however the cost of rent will remain very low. Individuals will be able to use their benefits to pay for their rent. Those who do not receive benefits will still be eligible to reside in the community. Residents will be able to give back to the community in a number of ways.

OurCommunity operates 100% debt-free, so construction times vary based on funds raised.

OurCommunity will be built in several phases. Funding of $15M has been secured for the first phase, and construction begins in October 2024. The entire project is estimated at $70M+. It is important to note that OurCommunity, along with OurCalling, operates 100% debt-free. We start each phase as the funds are raised.

Individuals, foundations, corporations, and churches dedicated to helping end homelessness are funding the build of OurCommunity.

It’s our faith that inspires us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Although we are a Christian nonprofit, there will be no requirement to participate in bible studies or church activities. Residents and volunteers of all faiths are welcome in our community.

Because of the vulnerability of the residents, all services will be provided onsite, and residents are unlikely to come and go from the community.

There are dozens of ways that individuals and corporations can partner with OurCommunity. To learn more, please email ourcommunity@ourcalling.org.

Please keep an eye on www.ourcalling.org/jobs for job postings. We anticipate positions will be live in June, 2025.

Yes! We love our volunteers! When opportunities become available, they will be posted on our website, serve.ourcalling.org. We look forward to serving alongside you! If you have any questions or want to volunteer a skill set, please email our Volunteer Engagement Manager, Melody.