I’m not the first one to give props to today’s Shout Out recipient – Phoenix Commotion. This company has actually been featured in the New York Times, as well as on multiple television shows. But once you understand what this company does, you will also understand that it’s hard not to talk about them.

Phoenix Commotion, located in Huntsville, Texas,  is a company that focuses on building homes out of recycled or discarded materials. They have made roofs out of old license plates, windows out of glass plates and bowls, walls out of broken tiles, and counter tops out of tree stumps. Things that we would normally take for granted or never even think about using as a resource material get used in creative ways every day thanks to this company. Because of that, no two homes are the same. That gorgeous tiled ceiling  that you see in the picture below is actually a ton of old picture frame corners stacked together.

But, this isn’t the only thing that makes this company so great. Every employee hired comes in as a non-skilled worker. In fact, they won’t hire you if you aren’t one.  They believe that you can learn on the job and they will teach you all they know about construction and building codes so that you can get real on-the-job experience and education without the high cost of student loans. Work for them for a year at minimum wage, and you will have what you need to be able to get hired at a higher-paying company that may have never looked at you before.

And not a single home that the Phoenix Commotion works on gets made without the new owners involvement. They believe it installs a sense of pride to be able to say “This is my home, and I helped build it. You see that wall over there? I did that.” This also helps the owner learn how to take care of their unique house once Phoenix Commotion has left the new building in your hands.

Because the homes are made with low-cost materials, and low-cost labor, they can be marketed as low-income housing. Their owners range from single parents, to starving artists, to full families with low incomes. This gives some people an opportunity to own their own home for the first time in their lives. Some of the homes are also kept empty so that you can rent them and have a place to stay while your home is being built.

Phoenix Commotion is a wonderful company that is taking an active part in making their community better and stronger. They alone have been fulfilling dreams and touching lives for a little over twelve years now. And for that, they are today’s Shout Out!

For more information on the Phoenix Commotion, click the pic to visit their website. To view the New York Times article and see a slideshow of photos – click here.