Who We Are. 

The Greater Recovery Initiative of Tyler (GRIT) is an organization focused on the mental health recovery of people through supportive housing, therapy and opportunity.  The coalition strives to be an advocate for the kinds of services and programs which have value in the reformation of character and the restoration of the human potential.

What We Do. 

GRIT exists to support the recovery of the mentally ill by providing supportive housing in the East Texas area. Our goal is to create low-income housing out of recycled shipping containers. The houses can be created quickly in a number of configurations in sizes ranging from 600 to 3000 square feet. One of the reasons behind the use of boxcars is that some containers are shipped so far that the cost of returning the container exceeds the cost of replacement!   There are many abandoned boxcars sitting around waiting to be repurposed.  A shipping container is the strongest box in the world.  It's built to withstand typhoons, tornados, hurricanes and even earthquakes.  One of these incredible steel modules is the safest superstructure for a home, school, office, apartment, dormitory, storage unit, emergency shelter.  ...where would you rather be in a storm, hurricane or earthquake?  I think in a room made of strong Corten steel.

Advantages of Boxcar Housing

• A special stronger steel named Corten steel that won't rust or corrode

• Mold resistant

• Corten steel is used inside and  is also stronger than normal steel

• A 1.24" plywood floor made of hardwood.  Either teak, birch, or keruing laminates to withstand tons of internal weight

• Extremely adaptive to the most efficient Eco insulations

• Can be made energy efficient and completely green