JACKSONVILLE, Texas — There's a new bus in town, but it's not transporting people, but instead hope and a hot meal to the homeless in East Texas.
David Peters started the East Texas Sheltering Arms Coalition with a mission to build tiny homes for homeless veterans but realized the need was greater.
"I’ve come to realize how blessed I am," says Peters, "in looking at it in a real light, I realize how needy other individuals are, I’ve been other places doing mission work but there’s so much need that gets overlooked in our backyard."
After realizing the need, Peters got to work partnering with other nonprofits to come together and help solve problems in their backyard.
Each week David drives around in this converted 71-passenger school bus giving those in need a little help.
"We want to use the bus as a resource and a tool to get out in the community and interact with them," says Peters, "to get them to trust us, be comfortable, share with us."
The bus is more than a place to get a free meal, behind the 50's style diner design, a bigger purpose.
"Designing the bus and the concept to do the 50’s style diner, where individuals came in would feel comfortable, at peace, hopefully feel a little happy.” says Peters.