New nonprofit organization hopes to help homeless, elderly
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on August 26, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/DENNIS HILL
Thomas Rice, director of MLFL, Inc., sits at his desk in the nonprofit's office off U.S. 117 South. The new group was formed last month and has plans to help people rebuild their lives.
dhill@newsargus.com
A new nonprofit organization in Wayne County is aiming to help the homeless and other people in need of a fresh start in life to get a helping hand.
MLFL, Inc., stands for Miracle, Love For Lives. It was formed in July as a 501(c)3 nonprofit with the state with the purpose of helping the needy turn their lives around.
The group already has a board of directors and is working on renovating the former Fat Cat pawn shop on U.S. 117 South into an office. Its director, Thomas Rice, said he has already spoken with county and city officials to get their backing.
Rice said he had suffered major health problems and after recovering, felt God had saved him for a purpose.
"I thought to myself, 'God, what is the reason you are keeping me here?"
Rice said this week. "I felt his answer was to help others who might not have been as fortunate as some people are in life."
Rice said MLFL has plans to turn a former nurse's residence hall at Cherry Hospital into a temporary dormitory for people who want to enter the organization's program. Officials at Wayne Community College have offered to help clients with their educational needs and the organization plans to provide transportation for them.
"They're all human, just like you and me," Rice said, referring to the homeless and others who are down on their luck. "They just need a helping hand to get started again."
The organization also plans to help veterans and the elderly. For example, if an elderly person on a fixed income needs a leaky roof fixed, MLFL will do its best to help.
"We'll go in and fix it for them at no cost to them," Rice said.
The organization also plans to create a manufacturing center in a warehouse located on property it is looking to acquire to build trailers for sale, using client labor. Proceeds will go to the nonprofit, he said, to help with its programming.
There will be rules regarding drug and alcohol use, he pointed out.
"This organization not only will help individuals, it will help the city and the county," Rice said, noting that it also plans to remodel older homes and put them up for sale.
Members of the board of directors include Julia J. Weeks, Fred Peacock, Don'a G. Felton and Charles Artis. They are committed to helping give people in need a fresh start, Rice said.
"It's something we need around here," he said.
The program will work in several surrounding counties as well, he said.
Once a client completes the MLFL program, he or she, will have a better chance at jump starting their lives, Rice said.
"We will have a 'life coach' to help people with social problems," he added.
Hopefully, he said, the program will run about three months, during which time clients can get themselves back on their feet and seek gainful employment.
"Our major goal is to work to get them off the street and help them become productive citizens," Rice said.
He said the organization is asking the community for help in any way it feels possible. To contact the organization, call 919-750-4665 or email mlflinc.2014@gmail.com. The group is in the process of creating a website, as well.
"I know it's going to be a tough road," Rice said, "but we need to help these people. They are a lot like you and me. They just have come to a hard time in their lives.
"If they want to change their lives we want to make it so they can. We have a lot of good people behind us already."