JOPLIN, MO.--- Michael Malcuit and John Foley are both proud to be moving dirt for the new Arc of the Ozarks Housing in Joplin.
"We had a ground breaking for our new home, duplex for four individuals who were homeless, that will now have a home in the community," states John Foley, President CEO Arc of the Ozarks.
"I was really happy for that, and thankful of course. I feel like that everybody cares," states Michael Malcuit, Arc of the Ozarks Client.
Malcuit is 1 of 4 individuals with both behavior and mental disabilities, whole will be living in the new duplex. The old "Arc" housing home was destroyed in last year's tornado.
"After we got done with the tornado we stepped out of the house and we saw that the entire house was torn down around us and the whole neighborhood was ripped apart and the whole neighborhood was completely gone. It looked like a nuclear bomb hit," states Malcuit.
Those walls that came crashing down the night of the storm will soon be replaced with new ones right here on South Oliver Street. And they will be specifically designed to handle each resident's needs.
"We have some individuals that because they get upset they will hit a wall or break a window. The walls are made out of high impact dry wall so you can't poke a hole in the wall and all of the lighting will be recessed," states Foley.
In addition to getting a new house with all of these practical upgrades, Michael says he can't wait to get back to a normal routine in a place of his very own.
"Well, I feel like it's a long time coming, because I feel like Joplin is where I belong," states Malcuit.
The $260,000 project will be funded through a grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, money from the Joplin tornado first response fund and through private donations. Construction on the new duplex will begin in December and be finished by May.
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