'Their success is our success': Man helps working-class homeless people in several ways

    FORT PIERCE, Florida (WPBF) -- A Fort Pierce man has come up with a way to not only help working-class homeless people an affordable place to live but also to assist them in navigating through the financial crises they are experiencing.

The facility, located at 907 N. 13th St., was a drug recovery, prison day care and homeless facility about 30 years ago, but Jerome Rhyant, the pastor of the Love Center and the CEO of the Workforce Discipleship Center in Fort Pierce, said it's undergoing a revamp.

The building is now a 34-bed residential dorm-style facility for the working-class homeless.

The average rent is $800 a month.

The aim is for residents to become financially literate, which means teaching them to do things differently.

"For instance, going off to college, we learned how to rent apartments and had three living in a three-bedroom apartment," Rhyant said. "As adults, we may have to go back to three individuals living in a three-bedroom apartment, set a five-year goal, and then you can move out if you save your money correctly and buy your own house. Buying a house has to be the end goal."

Rhyant said the facility comes with a dining area and workspace where classes on finances are taught.

Brenda Halbert has been living here for about two weeks.

She told me that finding a place to live is difficult.

"It's just been tough, you know, as a result of being a widow. You don't really expect some of the things that happen to you," Halbert said. "Financially, it's been harder than I ever thought it would be."

Rhyant said once tenants move on, they can always come back and attend the financial classes.

"Their success is our success," Rhyant said. "So, if we help them accomplish what they want, then we'll get what we want, and what we want is to see them successful."

Officials are still taking applications. For more information, call 772-207-9625.