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Oct 20, 2009 5:55 pm US/Central
Fort Worth Program Helps Troubled Women
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A Fort Worth program is trying to take advantage of a sagging economy to put roofs over the heads of troubled women.
It buys foreclosed properties and rehabilitates houses for people who might otherwise be homeless.
But not everyone likes the idea.
The organization is called
Opening Doors for Women in Need. The faith-based group reaches out to women with addictions or with felony records.
"I was crying and saying 'I just need help!'" said Nannette Sandersan, a graduate of the program. "I don't want to mess up! I can't handle it."
Opening Doors helped her kick her habit and get a job. And the program obtained a house in the Como area of Fort Worth, found local churches to help fix it up and then gave it to Nannette.
Now Opening Doors is trying to expand its housing program. It's looking to buy five foreclosed properties from the City of Fort Worth to rehab another home and create a community garden.
"The properties are here," said Sandra Stanley, the program's founder. "And there's no reason why we can't restore these homes and put people in them."
But not everyone is convinced this is the way to rebuild an historic neighborhood with a troubled past.
"Everbody comes out here and says Como needs these houses, when Como is trying to rebuild itself and have a good energy," said Tommie Henton, a long-time area resident. "Because everybody remembers the 80s (when Como had crime problems) and we're trying to get past that."
"We have never had any problem in our homes," said Stanley. "We have never had the police come out here. A lot of people, probably, a lot of people were shocked because they didn't even know what we were doing."
But program graduates say rebuilding a neighborhood with reclaimed lives is a perfect match.
"I'm just that grateful my life has changed," Sanders said. "I'm not homeless. I remember praying, 'God, give me a bed at the Salvation Army.' That's how bad it was for me."
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