Men of Nehemiah, a faith-based program led by Louis Harrell Jr., has worked with men for 16 years. The new facility includes additional beds, a full kitchen, a gym and more room for the singing and worship that are central to the program. The organization did not specify how many more people it will be able to serve.

Harrell said his parents started the program as he struggled with addiction, believing he could recover. He now guides participants through a nine-month program, including men who have experienced gang involvement and other difficult circumstances.

Music is used to encourage participants to open up, Harrell said. “When a man sings, he starts to be vulnerable,” he said.

One participant, identified only as Dallas, said he had tried 12 treatment centers, served time in prison and spent four years homeless before entering Men of Nehemiah. Two months into the program, he said he felt free and able to begin becoming the man he wanted to be.

Harrell said the new building is part of a broader vision for the program’s work in the community. Its windows can open toward the surrounding neighborhood, allowing worship to be heard beyond the facility, he said.

The expansion comes as the program seeks to offer more men a place to recover and find support in South Dallas.