By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-894066.mp3
Dallas, TX – A privately funded apartment for homeless women opened Thursday, thanks to a Dallas man best known for his mobile soup kitchens. KERA's Bill Zeeble explains
David Timothy is called the Soup Man. A few years back, he launched the non-profit Soup Mobile that puts meals in vans and drives them directly to Dallas's hungry and homeless in the streets. Standing in a small, crowded condominium living room, he says he also believed God's words to feed the hungry' implied more than just that.
David Timothy: We think he meant love and caring and compassion and yes, shelter. That's why we've started Soup Mobile village.
With donors' help, Timothy has now opened the Soup Mobile Village for Woman, which is actually this North Dallas condo he's standing in front of. It will house 5 homeless women vetted by Soup Mobile and who are ready for a hand up.
Timothy: We work the streets, up close and personal every day in the Dallas areas. So I know the homeless up close and personal. We're looking for homeless people that have a real desire and will to get out of homelessness.
Timothy found the first already volunteering for him. LaDelphia Davis - she likes being called LaDonna - ate from his soup mobile while living in an abandoned house, and struggling with a drug habit. Her mother took custody of her 5 children. The former nurse managed to kick her habit and has most recently been the Soup Mobile office manager. Two weeks ago, she learned she would be the first to move into the women's Soup Mobile Village.
Davis: At first, I was like, well, I don't know if this is going to work. but yes, it was an answer to my prayers.
With the strength of hard work and her prayers, Davis says she hopes to land a computer job and move out before the year's up. That will make room for another homeless woman. David Timothy plans to 2nd Women's Soupmobile Village soon. There's already one for men. His overall goal?
He wants 100 so-called Villages for the homeless where they can get their life together and move out, to free up space another homeless person.