Welcome To Our Podcast

STORIES OF

HOPE, INNOVATION, & IMPACT

PODCAST

From a small group of individuals looking to live a more simple off the grid life to a full fledged movement of minimalism mixed with unique design, tiny houses have ingrained themselves into our society.

But that’s not the story.

The story is the big impact these innovative housing solutions have had on the individuals who build them for themselves, build them for others and who create entire communities to serve those in need. Join Co-hosts, Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth as we meet the innovators, the policy changers and the visionaries who are solving problems and serving others through the simple but sometimes misunderstood, tiny house. These are the stories of hope, innovation and impact, a podcast from Operation Tiny Home.

A special thank you to Rodello's Machine for our theme song, "The World Inside."

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INTRODUCTION

Introducing Stories of Hope, Innovation, and Impact | Episode 1

Join Operation Tiny Home Founder & Executive Director Gabrielle Rapport, and Podcast Co-hosts, Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth. These are the stories of hope, innovation and impact, a podcast from Operation Tiny Home.

MOST RECENT EPISODES

Technical College using tiny homes to educate the next generation of tradespeople | Episode 17

Dr. Ron DiPillo, Executive Director of Suncoast Technical College (STC), joins Zack and John to share an exciting new tiny home building and skilled trade education program. This program gives students hands-on experience in several fields, including plumbing, construction, drafting, and electrical, while also featuring an eco-friendly curriculum that includes solar and composting toilets.

STC started the Tiny House Program in partnership with CareerEdge, the Eppard Family Foundation and Walt Eppard, who offered financial support for the program.

To learn more about Suncoast Technical College, visit https://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/suncoasttechnicalcollege.

Be a Tiny House Doer with Alexis and Christian of Tiny House Expedition | Episode 16

Alexis Stephens and Christian Parsons started their "Journey with a Purpose" after building their own tiny home in 2015, after a year of dating. The 130 square-foot home is the most traveled tiny house in the world, having been to 37 states, 16 national parks, and 30 Tiny Home Communities along the way. Together, Alexis and Christian both serve on the Board of Advisors for the American Tiny House Association and the Board of Directors for the Tiny Home Industry Association.

The Co-Founders of Tiny House Expedition are looking to impact the tiny home world by informing and inspiring others who are on a "tiny" journey themselves. The couple shares many great tips and ideas on their youtube channel, blog, website, and social media platforms. They offer two E-Courses for people to use as a resource; one is Tiny House, Rich Lifestyle: A Life Planning Workshop and the other is How-To Travel with a Tiny House on Wheels. You can also watch their docuseries, Living Tiny Legally, which highlights the benefits that may come with tiny living as well as the legal obstacles.

Not only is Alexis and Christian Co-Founders, but they are also now Co-Authors. Their book, "The Beginner's Guide to Tiny Houses: What You Need to Know About 400-Square-Foot Living," was released in 2021 to help people learn about all things tiny.

To learn more about Tiny House Expedition, visit: https://tinyhouseexpedition.com.

Veterans Community Project Uses Tiny Homes as a Platform to Serve Veterans In Need | Episode 15

John and Zack speak with Bryan Meyer, the CEO and Co-Founder of Veteran Community Project (VCP). This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in Kansas City, Missouri, is dedicated to supporting every man and woman who took the oath for our country and not letting any veteran fall through the cracks. Bryan, along with a few other combat veterans, created this organization back in 2016 as a way to stand in the gaps of a broken system that left too many of their brothers and sisters behind.

Bryan is a former U.S. Marine corporal who deployed twice to Iraq. Following the Marine Corps, Bryan returned home to Kansas City, attended the University of Missouri Kansas City, earning a Master's in Public Administration and a Law Degree.

The villages built by VCP utilize tiny homes to provide veterans with privacy, a sense of security, and the ability to reintegrate at a comfortable pace. VCP has Veteran services facilitated through an on-site community center that provides the Veterans with mentoring, case management, counseling, and linkage to other programs and services. There is also a Veteran Outreach Center on-site, where walk-ins are welcome and all services are free.

To learn more about Veterans Community Project, visit: https://www.veteranscommunityproject.org

STEM Xposure inspires hope and impact for future generations around the globe using tiny home architecture | Episode 14

Robyn Donaldson, Founder and President of STEM Xposure, specializes in architectural design and building. STEM Xposure is a nonprofit with a mission to give back and mentor others interested in careers in the construction industry as engineers, architects, mathematicians, professional tradespeople, and general contractors. Targeting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, this method of education focuses on learning in coherence instead of in isolation. STEM Xposure, located in Gibsonton, Florida, introduces young minority students to careers in these fields through their virtual architectural design and construction camps. The camps teach the basics of architectural design, including mapping, site investigation, sketching, scaled drawings, and presentation skills. The 2021 Camp was hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, which was the first time it has been hosted outside of the United States. One hundred twenty students registered/participated in this event, and ten schools from different parts of Kenya were represented.

To learn more about STEM Xposure, visit: https://www.stemxposure.com

Seeing the person behind the issue is when the solution to homelessness begins | Episode 13

Bernard Troyer ("Berns") is the BLOCK project manager for Facing Homelessness, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization from Seattle, Washington, that aims to contribute unique passions and skills toward the effort of ending homelessness. The BLOCK project, which started in 2017 as one of Facing Homelessness's programs, acknowledges that relationships are the building blocks for healing our communities. Through the BLOCK Project, members of the community are able to share their backyard with people who genuinely need it by hosting someone experiencing homelessness.

Berns has built every home used in the BLOCK project, with each house designed to achieve the highest standard for sustainability in the built environment. He approached the project with his skills in construction, but his passion for ending homelessness, his heart, and his desire led the project to be successful. Recently, the Block Project has significantly reduced the construction time by prefabricating panels for the homes in the Block Shop and then assembling the house in the chosen backyard. What used to take 3-6 months now only takes six weeks or less, which is a big difference for people living outside in harsh conditions.

For those that do not have the opportunity to host a BLOCK home in their backyard, don't worry! There is also the option to volunteer to build a BLOCK home, volunteer to landscape a backyard, fundraise for the project, procure essential home items, and donate directly.

To learn more about Facing Homelessness, visit: https://facinghomelessness.org

To learn more about the BLOCK Project, visit: https://www.the-block-project.org

Tiny House Policy Innovation, Passion, Loopholes, and Who Needs Sleep? | Episode 12

Todd McKellips is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, chaplain, family man and native of Washington State. "What do you NOT do?" Is something he hears quite often! He is a compassionate advocate for people living in poverty, as he has seen homelessness firsthand after a traumatic back injury suffered while working with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department in 2005. Todd is the state chapter leader for the American Tiny House Association, a national effort with affordable housing as its core mission. He is passionate about bringing homeownership to those who can only dream of it. Todd is the director for the Washington Tiny House Association and is currently working with multiple elected officials and advising government entities such as HUD and the Department of Veteran Affairs. He is working closely with multiple non-profits and investors creating truly affordable tiny home spaces for homeless Washingtonians.

A Story of Hope with barb oliver | Episode 11

John and Zack are joined by Barb Oliver, Director of Operations for Sound Foundation NW. Sound Foundations NW is a non-profit organization building tiny homes and communities for the homeless in Seattle, WA.

Barb’s organization created an innovative approach to building high-quality Tiny Homes through a series of unique templates called jigs to build the parts of the tiny home: the platform (floor), walls, and the roof. These simple but effective homes are built to last 20 years.

In collaboration with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), Sound Foundations NW’s primary focus is to provide LIHI with quality tiny homes and support the launch of more villages in the greater Seattle area. For the past three years, Sound Foundations NW has averaged building two homes every three weeks. With this new assembly line system in place at their new location called the Hope Factory, they can now build up to 4 homes per week.

To learn more about Sound Foundations NW, visit them at: https://www.soundfoundationsnw.org

A Story of Impact with Valerie Ballard | Episode 10

Operation Tiny House @ American Legion Post 511 is a nonprofit serving the Dallas, Texas homeless Veterans Community with innovative programs to provide transitional and permanent housing, job training, and employment opportunities.

Founded by Valerie Ballard, the daughter of a US Army veteran, Operation Tiny House is bringing together local, state, and corporate sponsors—along with hundreds of individuals—who want to help raise funds and bring awareness to solving the veteran housing crisis.

At the start of the
COVID pandemic, Valerie and her team developed an innovative and impactful program called the Tiny Dining Experience. The program, which converts tiny houses into small mobile restaurants, teaches veterans valuable job skills and allows them to earn their food handling certificate and enter the job market.

To learn more about Operation Tiny House, visit them at: https://www.operationtinyhouse.org/

A Story of Innovation with Ara Erickson, VP Sustainability, Weyerhaeuser | Episode 9

In this episode, we talk about lumber and, more importantly, sustainability within the timber industry.

Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest timber companies in the world. They own nearly 12,400,000 acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage an additional 14,000,000 acres of timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. In addition to its timberland business, Weyerhaeuser also has wood products used in millions of homes.

Weyerhaeuser recently launched their 3 by 30 Impact Areas: three initiatives and goals in Climate, Affordable Homes, and Rural Communities.

Our guest, Ara Erickson, joins the podcast to discuss her role as VP of Corporate Sustainability, where she is accountable for the development and implementation of the company’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, including three areas where the company is in a unique position to participate:
Working forests contribution to climate change solutions
The role of sustainable products in ensuring housing for everyone
Support for thriving rural communities
Ara is a proven leader who also served as Director of the Green City Partnerships program with a regional conservation organization, Forterra, and a forest-based researcher, environmental consultant, and educator. She received her M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington and her B.S. in Resource Management from the University of California, Berkeley. Today, she serves as a board member for American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the United States, is a founding steering committee member for the Women’s Forest Congress, and uses her voice to advocate for sustainable, working forests.

Weyerhaeuser is a primary sponsor for Operation Tiny Home’s Building A Better Future for Veterans Program, providing funding and product donations to support us in building a tiny home to help Veterans in need.

To learn more about Weyerhaeuser’s 3 by 30 Impact Areas, visit: https://www.weyerhaeuser.com/sustainability/3by30/

A STORY OF HOPE WITH DYLAN JOHNSON, BOARD CHAIRMAN SHAVER LAKE VISITORS BUREAU & REBUILD OUR SIERRA | EPISODE 8

This is a story of hope, hope for a community after a devastating natural disaster.

On September 4th, 2020, the lives of the Shaver Lake community flipped upside down with the eruption of the creek fire. On September 5th, the Shaver Lake community was evacuated from their beloved mountain, leaving their primary residences, their livelihoods, and life as they knew it behind. In just a few short days, they learned of the destruction and devastation they would find upon their return home. "Heartbreak does not begin to describe the pain we feel for the loss our friends, our families, our communities, and our mountain has suffered."

It was out of this heartbreak, out of this pain, that Rebuild our Sierra was born. Many in the community wanted to help, stand up for their community, rebuild what was lost, and look to the future to ensure more memories for generations to come. From this tragedy, the volunteer-run organization, Shaver Lake Visitors Bureau, launched Rebuild Our Sierra, a grassroots fundraiser.

To learn more about Rebuild our Sierra and to donate to the Live Tiny Project, you can visit them at: https://www.rebuildoursierra.org/tiny-home-program

A Story of Impact with Drew Robertson, FOUNDER OF MATTERSVILLE | EPISODE 7

This is a story of impact. Impact one man has made on the lives of veterans suffering from PTSD.

Besides being a full-time single father to his two daughters (one he adopted last year), Drew Robertson's devotion towards helping Veterans is unmatched. Prior to launch, Drew put in years of research to create the foundation of what became Mattersville. Drew is a Solar Design Specialist and studied at Solar Energy International focusing on off-grid solutions including battery banks. His motivation came from the loss of one of his best friends, former Marine Randy Hansen, who suffered from PTSD for years leading up to his accident.

Mattersville, is a growing nonprofit in Sedalia, Colorado that is addressing common issues in the Veteran community like PTSD and homelessness. Their tiny housing program provides services to help our heroes begin the healing process and get back on their feet, to empower them with the resources needed to be self-reliant and able to reintegrate powerfully into civilian life. In addition to providing tiny sustainable housing, Mattersville has a Heroes and Hybrids program, a wolf-dog rescue designed as a work training program to integrate the lives of veterans and rescue wolf-dogs that create a truly unique bond that they witness as Pack Healing. Drew is in the process of expanding to Texas and Wisconsin.

To learn more about Drew and Mattersville Village: https://www.mattersvillevets.org/

A STORY OF INNOVATION WITH DAN FITZPATRICK, Director of Government Relations, Tiny Home Industry Association | EPISODE 6

Dan Fitzpatrick has made presentations to cities and counties throughout the west coast on the opportunities for tiny houses and moveable tiny houses as a means to meet the ever-growing need for affordable and sustainable housing. He was recently a major presenter at the California Rural Counties Association, the Oregon Symposium on Tiny Homes, Green California Summit 2018, as well as a speaker for the SMUD tiny home on wheels design competition in Sacramento.

This past year, Mr. Fitzpatrick conducted a series of workshops throughout California for Green Technology: ”Tiny Houses: A Sustainable, Eco-Friendly and Affordable Housing Solution” and training sessions for California local chapters of the American Tiny House Association on ”Legalizing Tiny Living.”

Mr. Fitzpatrick has over 48 years of broad executive level management and administrative leadership experience in both public and private sector organizations and holds a Masters in Government from Lehigh University. He has lectured on government and planning issues at various colleges and universities.

To reach Mr. Fitzpatrick, email cityrenewal@hotmail.com

A story of hope with Michelle Boyle — Tiny Home Owner, Blogger, Former Podcast Co-Host of Tiny House Podcast and Tiny Home Entrepreneur | episode 5

This is a story of hope. Michelle Boyle, like many others today, faced an uncertain future. Recently divorced with no child support and no retirement savings Michelle first focused on her children. After living paycheck to paycheck and sacrificing everything for her children Michelle discovered tiny houses. Michelle moved into a tiny home as a way to reduce her living costs drastically enough to help her start saving for her future. She fell in love with the tiny home lifestyle and quickly realized it could be more than a way of life for her. For Michelle this lifestyle became part of her future. Michelle now owns a tiny house village with short term rental properties and has a second business renting teardrop trailers in Oregon.

To learn more about Michelle’s village: https://www.mytinyhousevillage.com/
For tear drop rentals: https://www.oregonteardroprentals.com/ or @oregonteardroprentals on Instagram

A Story of Impact with Alan Graham, Community First! Village | Episode 4

This is a story of impact. Alan Graham is a man with a vision and the determination and faith to make that vision a reality. For Alan Graham, it is all about his relationships—with God, his family, staff members and certainly the homeless men and women he’s been engaging on the streets of Austin for more than two decades.

Alan is the founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF), a social outreach ministry that provides food and clothing, cultivates community and promotes dignity to homeless men and women in need. He is also the lead visionary behind MLF’s Community First! Village—a master planned development in northeast Austin that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. Community First! Village is the home to over 500 tiny homes, RV’s and other structures with plans to grow that by more than 1,400 additional structures.

To learn more about about Alan and Community First! Village visit: https://mlf.org/

A story of innovation with Brett Hiltbrand from Cornerstone Tiny Homes | Episode 3

This is a story of innovation. Not innovation in the sense of a technological advance but in using tiny homes to solve a housing problem. In 2017, Hurricane Irma struck Florida and left a path of destruction in its wake. In particular, the Florida Key’s were hit hard, losing countless homes. The Key’s are a tourist hotspot, and hospitality workers are the backbone of the community. Brett Hiltbrand, his wife Kim, and their team from Cornerstone Tiny Homes worked tirelessly to construct affordable and, more importantly, code-compliant, tiny homes on foundations to provide an innovative and affordable solution to bring that vital workforce back. Brett joins John and Zack to discuss how he found viable solutions through educated code and building officials to get the job done.

To learn more about Cornerstone Tiny Homes visit: Cornerstone Tiny Homes

A STory of Hope with Lexi Ramsey | Episode 2

This is a story of hope. Lexi Ramsey gives the gift of love and herself to others. The others include her adopted daughters and over twenty young daughters of red light district workers in India. Lexi and her youngest adopted daughter Melody were living with her mother in Paradise when the Camp Fire struck. They made it out safely, but the home they shared with her mother was destroyed. Her vision took her to India to work at an orphanage and nurture young women who were cast out of society being the daughters of sex workers. For Lexi and Melody this would be there new home, but visa issues forced them to return home to California. As Lexi looked for a place to settle and a home she could afford she came across an ad for a tiny home builder and decided this would be her next life adventure. Through the support of Operation Tiny Home’s Down Payment Assistance Match Grant sponsored by Sutter Home Family Vineyards, Lexi and Melody were able to purchase their forever home from Pacifica Tiny Homes.