Area couple uses stimulus money to start tiny home project for those in need

Looking at a shipping container, John Cornelius III of Poplar Bluff envisions a home for an Oglala Lakota family on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

An Army veteran, Cornelius is an Oglala Lakota Native American. While he was born in Poplar Bluff, Cornelius was raised with his dad’s family on one of the largest reservations in the United States.

It’s an area that struggles with providing cost-effective housing to families, something Cornelius, his family and friends feel moved to help with.

That’s why Cornelius and his wife recently used their stimulus money to purchase a shipping container they hope to convert into a tiny home to be donated to the reservation.

The project has already gained momentum with another donor, and residents of the reservation joining in.

A duty to give back

Cornelius served in the Army and National Guard. He was trained to be a stinger missile operator and did a tour of duty in South Korea. After the deployment to South Korea, he trained at the United States Army Airborne School, before being deployed to Iraq. After serving in the Army, he joined the National Guard, where he was trained as a combat medic and served with a military police unit in South Dakota.

During his time in the military, Cornelius developed post traumatic stress disorder and suffered a back injury.

Dealing with PTSD and the injury, Cornelius says he went to a dark place, but he asked God to take him to a better life. After three months, he ended up in Poplar Bluff.

While he’s built a life for himself and his family here, he still cares for the needs of his family on the reservation. He believes one way to help is finding cost-effective housing for them. His answer is the conex, or shipping container.

Cornelius and his family, along with a donor, purchased the 20-foot by 9-foot by 9-foot container for about $2,500.

Cornelius, his wife, Krista, and son, Kal-El, talked about buying the container to make into a home before shipping it to South Dakota.

‘Angels’ come together

Hearing Cornelius talk about their dream, a donor, whom he calls an “Angel investor,” said “here is $1,000 for your first conex.”

With about half the money to pay for the container, Cornelius asked his wife “can we buy it” using their stimulus money.

The family planned to transform it into a home while it was parked at the Memorial Baptist Church in South Poplar Bluff, where they are members.

Learning of the family’s plans, Jimmy Hunt of Poplar Bluff made an offer. Hunt had been asking God to provide him with a project. He knew the tiny home was an answer to prayers.

Hunt realized he not only had the skills and equipment to transform the box into a home, he also had the perfect place to do the work.

Approaching Cornelius, Hunt explained he lives off the beaten path and has a concrete pad on which to park the conex.

Cornelius and Hunts’ excitement grew when Cornelius’ friend, Collins Clifford, decided to visit the area.

Clifford is the director for COVID border checkpoints on the reservation. He and his family were taking a few days vacation and would be in Poplar Bluff on April 3.

Cornelius said, “It is now the most cost-effective way to get a home.”

An extreme need

“We have people back home living in homes with four bedrooms built for a family, but now five or six families are living in the same home,” Clifford said.

Often there are 10-16 living in a single home, Cornelius said.

Cornelius foresees, “if we could get a couple and their baby into one of these” it would start them on a less dysfunctional path.

The excitement in the trios’ voices filled the air recently as they shared their desire to improve others’ lives.

Cornelius is putting his dreams of helping “in God’s hands and He is going to move the people.”

While the local crew could complete the project in a timely manner, they decided it would be better to rough in the project before transporting it and the materials to South Dakota.

Someone local could go to the reservation to help finish the work, and the family receiving the home may help complete the project. Working with the others, they will be able to incorporate their ideas into the project, giving them a sense of ownership.

Cornelius and Clifford believe the tiny house will “change the peoples’ attitudes. Getting the land for a home may start the process” of changing their lives.

Clifford added some on the reservation, “have equipment” to use and the conversation turned to the limitless ways to transport the tiny house.

One suggested a wide flatbed pickup, while another mentioned a goose-neck trailer and another thought someone may donate the time and equipment to get the future home to the reservation. A trucking company that didn’t have full loads might ship for a reduced rate or free was suggested.

While “70% of our people are not landowners,” Clifford said, “they may procure land with water and sewer from the tribe.”

Others may gain the right to put it on their family’s land.

A path forward

The men were excited about the possibilities, and the project “would start them thinking” and create “good positive energy.”

Clifford recommends explaining to the tribal elders “we have great, cost-effective housing to bring to the reservation.”

Another commented “these things can be made to be beautiful.”

Clifford said, “I totally believe everything is happening for a reason. It is going to work.”

Cornelius believes completing and transporting the house will cost another $8,000-10,000.

Anyone interested in helping with the project may donate building materials, such as nails, screws, tile, sheetrock and bathroom fixtures.

Paperwork to form a 501(c)(3) non-profit is being prepared. Anyone interested in helping may contact Cornelius by email, johncorneliusmbc@gmail.com. He asks people to include Tiny Home in the subject line of the email so he can identify them better.