Nonprofit breaks ground on ‘micro home’ community for at-risk youth in Eustis

‘Cottages On Grove’ development to house up to 20 clients

EUSTIS, Fla. – A nonprofit group broke ground Thursday on a housing development in Eustis designed to help at-risk youth aging out of foster care.

The Forward Paths Foundation teamed up with HomeAid Orlando to begin construction of the “Cottages On Grove” community.

“Agencies like Forward Paths Foundations connect with us so that we can bring resources to help grow their facilities that lets them do more,” HomeAid Orlando Executive Director Russ Beymer said.

The two-acre site at 600 S. Grove Street was donated land from First United Methodist Church of Eustis.

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10 “micro homes” will be built by Ashton Woods Homes to house up to 20 clients of Forward Paths Foundation.

“These are going to be a launching point for them to learn how to live independently,” Forward Paths President Jacob Bonynge said. “Just enough space for them to learn how to keep a home and live independently.”

The 610 sq. ft. cottages will each have two bedrooms and one bathroom.

The property is the first that is fully owned by Forward Paths Foundation.

“It’s not only going to help us be sustainable as an organization, but it’s actually going to give the kids more stability because they’re going to have one place to live and they won’t be moving around bouncing here and there,” Bonynge said.

Forward Paths was founded in 2013 and currently operates apartments and rents homes throughout Lake County.

Construction of the “Cottages On Grove” community is expected to be completed in early 2024.

For more information on HomeAid Orlando, visit homeaidorlando.org.

Details about the Forward Paths Foundation can be found at forwardpaths.org.


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Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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