LITTLE ROCK — No one is immune to hard times, and one hiccup in the family budget could have disastrous results.

Something unpredictable, such as a job loss, a car accident or an illness could easily leave a family on the streets without a home.

Situated on the corner of Locust and Market streets in Searcy, a quaint little home is a refuge for homeless families. Jacob’s Place opened its doors to its first family in March 2008.

“I’ve seen all kinds of different people,” house manager Christie Kling said. “People who have worked for big-name businesses, making lots of money have ended up homeless in a matter of weeks. One husband and dad was in a car accident, and he was the only one working. ... It could be something as simple as losing a car, leaving them with no way to get to work.”

Statistics show in 2007 there were 341 homeless people in White County - 87 of those were children.

The Searcy Ministerial Alliance realized homelessness was a problem and voted to get the ball rolling for a board of directors to eventually take over the homeless mission.

“We were all church people,” board President Rebecca Frankford said when explaining how the shelter got its name. “Jacob (of the Bible) was homeless, and we called it place because we didn’t know if we were going to be in a house or not at the time.”

The alliance appointed a committee, which evolved into a board of directors.

“This is a small town,” Kling said. “When you think homeless, you think big city and a cardboard box. This is just a big house.”

Many times families show up with just a small bag of belongings, but sometimes they have nothing. Simple items, such as a toothbrush, shampoo, soap and deodorant are provided in a welcome bag when they move in.

“The First United Methodist Church opens the doors of its thrift shop for them to get clothes and shoes,” Kling said.

Jacob’s Place only accepts families, and there is no time limit on how long they can stay as long as they follow the Ladder Program guidelines.

◊Residents must get a job within two weeks of moving in or at least prove they are making a strong effort to land employment.

◊A savings program must be started for a when they move out. Each payday, the client will get a money order made out to themselves for a certain amount. It will be kept in the safe until they move out of Jacob’s Place.

◊Goals will be set for the length of stay and the future, and they will be evaluated weekly.

Despite a recent hiring freeze with many local companies, there are still some jobs available.

A sudden job loss strains the budget, but the waiting list for U.S. Housing and Urban Development assistance at the Searcy Housing Authority could be six months to a year long. Jacob’s Place is somewhere a family can go until its name comes up on the waiting list. However, utility deposits, buying furniture and other household expenses may be out of reach. The savings plan at Jacob’s Place helps with those expenses, and through donations, essential furniture and other household items are available to help them set up housekeeping.

“We encourage them to put their names on every waiting list in every area,” Kling said.

The families qualify for benefits to help them purchase food, and they prepare their own meals at the house. Other basic items, such as personal care items, cleaning supplies and diapers, are donated.

All donations are appreciated, but Frankford said the main thing they need are diapers, toilet paper and bleach.

“Christie said we use 2 gallons (of bleach) a week,” Frankford said. “We have two pregnant ladies and a 2 1/2-year-old, so we are trying to keep things clean.”

Kling said one of the biggest impacts she’s seen was when a single mom came seeking help. She was diabetic, had three kids and was physically unable to work. After getting on her feet and being accepted for renal assistance, the mother of three moved out on her own.

“She’s had her apartment almost a year,” Kling said. “We gave her help until the Housing Authority could pick her up,” and she could move out on her own.

Many of the single parents may be eligible for the Transitional Employment Assistance program through the Department of Human Services, which helps economically challenged families become more stable by developing skills to support themselves and not rely as much on public assistance.

Volunteers come to Jacob’s Place to help the clients with job-hunting skills, savings advice and other life skills. Volunteers are also needed to help in the office, stay overnight and to teach skills to the clients. Another problem the clients have is finding a close-by day care that will keep a child when a mother goes for a job interview.

Applications for volunteers can be downloaded from the Web site at www.jacobsplace.org.

Rooms at the shelter are usually full. Some clients are referred to Jacob’s Place through the Department of Human Services.

The application process for one of the four rooms starts with a phone call. The applicant must be able to pass a drug test and a background check. The staff also conducts random drug testing. If Jacob’s Place can’t take them, Kling said every effort is made to place them in a shelter in a neighboring town or county.

For more information on volunteering, donating or applying for a room, call Kling at 501-380-8283 or e-mail her at jacobs-place@hotmail.com..com.

Three Rivers, Pages 53 on 11/05/2009