News / October 24, 2023 October 25, 2023
Little Rock, Ark. (Oct. 24, 2023) – Our House, a nonprofit in central Arkansas and home to new beginnings, revealed a rebranded identity today, one of its most significant changes in 36 years. What first started as an emergency shelter in 1987 has now grown into a nationally recognized organization offering wrap-around services to over 3,000 individuals each year.
Staff, board members, and friends of Our House gathered on the organization’s $16 million dollar expansion site, where homeless and near-homeless community members will soon be able to access more of the wide array of services Our House provides. Scheduled for completion in early 2024, the expansion aims to meet the increasing demand for services. This is especially timely as Our House shared that in the past 3 weeks they’ve had to turn away almost 350 individuals searching for housing including over 130 children, this is close to twice the number of people as they did this time last year.
Ben Goodwin, executive director of Our House shared, “This new look captures the holistic nature of what we, as a community, have created together, and the transformation we’re undergoing. At Our House, we believe in empowering those experiencing homelessness and helping them on a journey toward stability and self-sufficiency. We’re a home to new beginnings for thousands of people in our community each year, and our new identity encapsulates that perfectly.”
Our House’s new brand identity signals more than just a visual evolution; the rebrand accompanies a pivotal expansion project for the nonprofit, which was announced in September 2022. The additional infrastructure will equip Our House to double its capacity in key programs, serve more people, and provide additional services and resources.
“As we near the finish line of this huge project that our community graciously gave their time, money, and resources to make possible, we look toward the future,” said Cynthia Frazier, who serves as President of the Our House Board of Directors. “A future of promise, hope, and a home to new beginnings for all who seek our services.”
Articulating the organization’s growth, adaptability, and essence, the rebrand project was an in-kind donation from local advertising firm Stone Ward, ensuring Our House is able to allocate vital stakeholder contributions directly to its programming.
For a deeper dive into Our House’s revamped identity and mission, to donate, or to get involved, visit ourhouseshelter.org.
Key Facts About Our House’s Expansion
- Our House broke ground in September 2022 on a $16 million capital expansion to build two new buildings on its existing seven-acre campus on Roosevelt Road in Little Rock.
- This expansion will accommodate Our House’s expanding programs to meet the needs of homeless adults, children, and entire families in a coordinated manner, programs which already serve more than 3,000 unique people each year.
- The expansion will double Our House’s housing capacity for families, double the number of children served in its early childhood center and out-of-school time programs; provide more space for workforce training programs; and, for the first time, build dedicated space for on-site mental and physical health services.
- The 27,300 square foot expansion is expected to be open in March with a public grand opening in March of 2024.
- The $16 million fundraising goal includes $11.5 million for the construction of the new facilities as well as $5 million to support the expanded program operating budget. Donors including the Windgate Foundation, the late Helen Porter and James Dyke, the Schueck Family Foundation, the Clark Family Foundation, and the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation, plus 277 additional private donors, have made the project possible, and Our House is within $200,000 of its total goal.
- The project was designed by Herron Horton Architects and engineered by McClelland Engineers. The general contractor is Nabholz. Financing is provided through Arkansas Capital Corporation, First Horizon Bank, and First Horizon Community Investment Group, as part of a New Markets Tax Credit project.
Key Facts About Our House’s Brand Refresh
- Stone Ward developed the new brand identity by working in close partnership with the board and staff of Our House, on a pro-bono basis. Millie Ward and Larry Stone are longtime Our House supporters and owners of Stone Ward. Millie currently serves on the Our House Board of Directors.
- The new brand identity is an evolution of Our House’s visual. The house and the heart have been a staple in the brand since the organization’s inception, and the new brand takes the logo into the modern era.
