Settled Souls Helping Homeless in Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A local organization is hoping to make a difference in our community by giving homeless people a better place to stay.

"Finally one day I just made up my mind it was time for a change," says Thomas Lumley, who was once homeless. For about a year and a half he lived on the streets of Little Rock or in shelters.

Early last year, he found a place to call his own.

"It would've been hard without them," he says.

But it was less than home, so he found someone to help him settle.

"The day I moved in, I didn't have anything, two days later the apartment was fully furnished," he explains.

Thomas met Stephanie Byers and her new program "Settled Souls."

"We help settle them with firmer foundation of belongings, and a soft place to lay their head, and furnish their kitchen, furnish their bathroom, give them everything they would need in their apartment day one," Byers says.

She saw a gap in help for homeless people looking to transition to housing.

"It provides the security to the individual that's getting off the streets, or out of the shelter, or out of a camp," she adds.

Settled Souls has helped fully or partly furnish more than two dozen apartments and for Thomas, is made all the difference in the world.

"It gave me hope that things could change," he continues. "I'd probably still be on the streets somewhere else, because you look for a change and sometimes when it doesn't, you have a tendancy to run."

Settled Souls works with Jericho Way to find people who are looking for help. The organization also encourages everyone they help to give back. Thomas is one of them who is now paying it forward.

Click here to find Jericho Way on Facebook.