Lubbock, Texas · Est. 501(c)(3)
Teaching life skills, growing food, raising neighbors — one home, one garden, one community at a time.
Housing · Gardens · Education · Wellness
Our Vision
NOXBOX plants communities for veterans with the purpose of establishing neighborly relationships, growing support systems, nurturing independence, and producing stability and esteem through independence and security.
We will build 120 small homes and a large community center for our veteran village in Lubbock — a place where neighbors know each other, share skills, and grow together.
Based in Lubbock, Texas — home to over 14,000 veterans — we reach the underserved with limited resources by providing economically sustainable housing and a thriving community life.
Our Realization
What We Do
Affordable, dignified small homes for qualified veterans and their families — relieving the financial burden of housing costs and creating a stable foundation for a thriving life.
Community gardens and hydroponic hoop houses for growing food, enjoying the outdoors, and working with our hands in nature. Fresh produce for residents and supplemental income from surplus.
Building community through good neighborliness, a peaceful lifestyle, and the therapeutic benefits of raising chickens for companionship and egg production.
Growing Together
Our community garden is more than a place to grow food — it's where neighbors meet, skills are learned, and self-sufficiency takes root. Every resident will have access to garden plots, shared tools, and hands-on workshops covering everything from soil prep to harvest. Surplus produce is sold at our monthly farmers market, creating income that flows back into the community.
Our garden is designed for West Texas — drought-tolerant, productive, and beautiful year-round with the right crops.
Our garden workshops are open to residents and the broader community — practical, hands-on, and designed for beginners and experienced growers alike.
Every month we'll open our gates to the public — fresh produce, eggs, herbs, and handmade goods from our community. All proceeds support the NOXBOX fund. Vendors from the neighborhood welcome.
Note: Garden photos above represent examples of thriving community gardens and the vision for NOXBOX's food production program.
Innovative Construction
At NOXBOX, we believe affordable, dignified housing doesn't have to be expensive. We actively explore and teach alternative construction methods that reduce costs, increase sustainability, and empower communities to build with their own hands.
Straw bale homes use compressed bales of straw as structural walls or insulation, then coat them in plaster or stucco. The result is a highly insulated home that stays cool in summer and warm in winter — perfect for the West Texas climate.
Cob is a mixture of subsoil clay, sand, and straw formed into walls by hand — one of humanity's oldest building materials. Cob homes are incredibly durable, require almost no industrial materials, and the building process itself is a powerful community activity.
3D printing technology now allows entire home structures to be printed in concrete in as little as 24 hours. Companies like ICON have demonstrated this at scale — entire communities built quickly with far less waste and labor. This technology is advancing rapidly and is ideal for building multiple small homes.
Repurposed steel shipping containers can be transformed into comfortable, modern homes. Containers are strong, stackable, and can be combined in endless configurations — especially practical for creating compact, dignified homes quickly and affordably.
Earthships are built from recycled materials — old tires packed with earth, glass bottles in walls, aluminum cans as bricks. They are designed to be completely self-sufficient: solar power, rainwater harvesting, and built-in greenhouse food production all integrated into the structure.
Purpose-built tiny homes (200–500 sq ft) are the primary housing format for our veteran village. Thoughtfully designed tiny homes maximize every square foot, dramatically reduce utility costs, and create a sense of simplicity and intention that many veterans find deeply therapeutic.
In Photos
From construction to completion — straw bale homes are beautiful inside and out. These photos show both the building process and finished results, including some stunning modern interpretations that would surprise anyone who pictures "straw" as primitive.
In Photos
Cob is perhaps the most creative and expressive of all building materials — no two cob homes look alike. Walls curve, windows become works of art, and every inch of the home reflects the hands that built it. These photos show the full range from rustic to refined.
Photos above are examples of real cob and straw bale homes built around the world, representing what is possible with these methods.
In Photos
Repurposed steel shipping containers are one of the most practical and affordable paths to dignified housing. Strong, stackable, and weather-resistant, they can be transformed into modern homes quickly — and they make excellent candidates for our veteran village where speed and durability both matter.
Cost of a used 40-ft container
Per 40-ft container — stackable for more space
Typical build time from delivery to move-in
Structural lifespan of a properly finished container
In Photos
3D printed homes represent the future of affordable housing — and that future is already here. Companies like ICON have printed entire communities of homes in as little as 24 hours per structure. The results are strong, beautiful, and surprisingly affordable. For a project like NOXBOX that aims to build 120 homes, this technology is worth watching closely.
Time to print a single-story home structure
Current cost per printed home structure
Construction waste vs. traditional methods
Leading US company — printed communities in TX & beyond
Upload photos of shipping container and 3D printed homes to complete these sections — placeholder frames are ready and waiting.
Our Community Center will host hands-on workshops in all of these construction methods — open to both our residents and the broader Lubbock community. Learning to build your own home is one of the most empowering skills a person can acquire, and we intend to share that knowledge freely.
What It Could Look Like
These are examples of thriving tiny home communities across the country — proof that small, intentional homes surrounded by shared green space, good neighbors, and warm lighting create something truly special. This is the vision for NOXBOX's veteran village in Lubbock.
Each cluster of 12 homes will share landscaped walkways, LED lighting, picnic areas, and park benches — modeled on the best examples of tiny home villages across the country, designed specifically for the West Texas climate and the dignity our veterans deserve.
Veteran Homes
Communities
Donated Acres
Note: Photos above are examples of existing tiny home communities and represent the vision and spirit of what NOXBOX intends to build.
3-Phase Rollout
NOXBOX has a structured 3-phase plan for building our veteran community village on our donated 10-acre property in Lubbock.
Revenue-generating foundation
Build 30 RV spaces as the primary revenue-generating portion of the organization
Beautify the space with drought-tolerant trees, plants, picnic tables, and park benches
Install utilities, walkways, and lighting throughout the grounds
Establish initial community garden plots and chicken coops
5,000 sq ft former bingo hall
Replace roof, replace doors, repaint exterior
Remodel interior layout, replace flooring, repaint, update all fixtures
Furnish with full kitchen, dining tables, seating, and recreation areas
Launch paid workshops, farmers market, and community programming
120 small homes in 10 communities
Small homes built in communities of 12 — 10 communities total
Each community beautifully landscaped with walk paths and led lighting
Park benches, picnic tables, and shared outdoor spaces throughout
Full integration with community gardens, greenhouse, and center
About Us
My dad served in the Army. He passed away in 2015 and received a military funeral. It was a crisp Leap Year Day, which made the 3-gun salute sharp and sobering.
NOXBOX reaches the underserved with limited resources by providing them with economically sustainable housing. We are based in Lubbock, Texas, which is home to 14,000 veterans. Over 30 years, our president Shawn Daniel has served more than 3,000 people in runaway shelters, group homes, missionary housing, boarding facilities, and short-term housing.
What We Do: We create communities where people live independently through an organic lifestyle while learning a variety of practical skills. We believe learning is a lifetime pursuit and that every person deserves dignity, stability, and a community that has their back.
Leadership
President, NOXBOX, Inc.
For over 30 years, Shawn has served more than 3,000 people in runaway shelters, group homes, missionary housing, boarding facilities, and short-term housing. He is an entrepreneur, cook, and lifelong servant leader who has traveled extensively and is always looking for opportunities to serve.
Board Member
A Lubbock native and Texas Tech graduate in Human Development and Family Studies. Currently Director of the Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority at StarCare Specialty Health System. Passionate about working with individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Board Member
Retired after 31 years at Lubbock Fire Rescue, including 10 years as Fire Marshal. Holds International Code Council certifications and extensive experience with building and life safety codes. Enjoys hunting, fishing, and metal/wood working.
Board Member
Retired military officer with 23 years of service and multiple deployments. Currently President of BighamAG. Holds a Bachelor's in Business and Master's in Quality Management Systems from Wayland Baptist University and The National Graduate School. Believes learning is a lifetime pursuit.
Board Member
Diverse career in accounting, finance, and marketing across manufacturing, telecom, hospitality, banking, and government. Texas Tech BBA in Accounting, Wayland Baptist MBA, licensed CPA. Believes in always doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Board Member
Career in nonprofit development — began at Public Television at Amarillo College and became an independent grant writer. Former board member for Lubbock Community Theater and St. Benedict's Chapel. Passionate about serving those who are often forgotten.
Board Member
BS in Computer Information Systems from Northwestern State; MA in Religion from Westminster Theological Seminary. Background in pastoral ministry and IT. Currently a high school computer science teacher in Galveston. Loves surfing, family, and philosophical reading.
With Gratitude
We are enormously grateful to those who have donated their time, resources, and expertise to help us build this community.
Gift of 9 acres and a 5,000 sq ft building — the foundation of our entire community vision
Financial Contributor
Aerial Photography
"A big round of applause goes to our generous donors and supporters!"
Become a SupporterCommunity Calendar
Join us for the opening of our upscale RV park. Tour the grounds, meet neighbors, and learn about our mission.
Learn how to set up and maintain raised bed gardens and hydroponic hoop houses for year-round food production.
Everything you need to know about raising backyard chickens for eggs, income, and therapeutic companionship.
Fresh produce, eggs, and handmade goods from our community. Open to the public. Vendors welcome.
📅 Our events calendar is growing! Contact us at [email protected] or call (806) 241-8862 to be notified of upcoming workshops, volunteer days, and community events.
See the Property
Drone and aerial photography of the NOXBOX property at 4102 E 61st Street, Lubbock — generously donated by American Legion Post 808. Aerial photography by Nathan Vigil.
Healing Through Connection
Animals are more than companions — they are healers. The bond between a veteran and their pet has been shown to reduce anxiety, ease PTSD symptoms, lower blood pressure, and restore a sense of purpose. At NOXBOX, our community welcomes veterans and their animals. Our chicken program is just one piece of a broader commitment to the therapeutic power of animals in community life.
Community Program
Every NOXBOX community will have its own chicken coop — a shared resource that serves triple duty. Our happy hens provide fresh eggs for residents, generate supplemental income from surplus sales, and offer something that can't be bought at any store: therapeutic companionship.
There is something grounding about the daily rhythm of caring for chickens. Feeding them in the morning, collecting eggs, listening to their soft clucking — it restores routine, purpose, and a quiet connection to living things. For veterans navigating PTSD, anxiety, or isolation, that rhythm can be genuinely healing.
Free-range eggs for every household, with surplus sold at our monthly farmers market
Daily animal care builds routine, reduces isolation, and provides calming sensory connection
Workshops on chicken keeping, feed management, health, and egg production for all residents
Surplus eggs and products sold to support the broader community fund and operations
Our community workshops will teach residents everything they need to know about raising backyard chickens — from setting up a coop and choosing breeds, to daily care, egg collection, and health management. No prior experience needed. Just a willingness to learn and a soft spot for birds.
Breed Selection
Coop Design
Egg Production
Flock Health
Feed & Nutrition
of veterans with PTSD report that pet ownership significantly reduces their symptoms
of veterans say their pet gives them a sense of purpose and daily routine
Our community chicken program provides therapeutic animal interaction and fresh eggs for every resident
Get In Touch
There are so many ways to support our mission. Contact us to find out about volunteer opportunities, fundraising events, and ways to spread the word.
