Alyssa Hofman lost her own home to wildfire in Butte County, California in 2008. It had once stood in the burn-scar that would later scorch the town of Paradise. When the Camp Fire happened in 2018 she was a single mom with three little kids. Alyssa quickly rustled up food and clothes to give the victims -- but she felt like God was asking her do more.
For weeks she wrestled with the urge to help. “Finally I went in my room and I prayed and I said, ‘Look, Lord I know you're asking me to do something -- but what would you have me to do?’” The answer shocked her. “The Lord really impressed me ’tiny homes’ -- and I almost fell off the bed,” she laughs. She had no money but she activated her faith. She posted on social media her desire to give tiny homes to fire-affected families – and the first home was funded with donations within 24 hours.
Alyssa eventually founded the Tiny Pine Foundation with donations and volunteers and now builds custom homes, either 200 sq. ft. or 400 sq. ft. They set these tiny wonders on the properties of people left homeless by wildfires – free of charge.
At the start of what she calls this “tiny but mighty” journey, Alyssa had zero construction experience. “I watched a little over 2,000 YouTube videos to learn how to build,” she explains, adding that she learned a lot from the volunteers that came in from all over the country. “A lot of it I really learned by just showing up every day, by just being consistent to what I believe the Lord called me to do.”
Click to listen to our conversation with Alyssa.
Alyssa learned so much that she is now a master builder. Having earned an official general contractor’s license, she personally oversees each tiny build. “I design each one per person because not everyone maybe wants to sleep in a loft, or could even get up there -- and I want it to be a real blessing.” The tiny homes on wheels are fully furnished and decorated and even stocked with new pots and pans and linens. People are astonished at what can fit in a tiny home. ”Everybody always says ‘wow this is way bigger than I thought’!”
Alyssa says 80% of the fire-affected families on her waiting list are elderly.
“It has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life, to be able to be a part of… I could have never known what it would be like to give someone a new home,” she says.
“Next to having my own children there's nothing like home-giveaway day.”