Our project to improve communities with nice homes for people begins with our parents and years of our own life experiences. On 9/11/2001 the founders of the project were in New York when, as we know, tragedy struck. The founders, Ann and Frank Ewing had just been discussing the best way to get started to make the world a better place. Both of their parents were in World War II and had seen the horrors of war. Frank’s dad in a Sherman tank in The Battle of the Bulge, liberating a Concentration Camp. Ann’s Dad fought in Belgium, nearly killed by a German tank shell, fired near him after he had disabled the tank with a bazooka. Frank’s dad, William, a lone survivor of his squad later put in charge of resettling refugees in Austria. His wife, Emma Mai Ewing], a war correspondent for the then Nashville Banner, her hometown paper. Bill and Emma Mai lived in Austria after the war and worked tirelessly to resettle folks, getting places to live being a priority. Ann’s dad too had sacrificed much too, and due to his injuries from the tank attack, was sent back home.

Frank’s Dad, struggled for years to contribute what he could to stopping wars. As his dad put it; “We cannot solve our problems with bullets firing at the end of a gun.”As to what war is really about, Frank recalls his dad recalling shooting his first German soldier in a skirmish. Afterward, he turned the body over, looked at his I.D. and saw pictures of his wife and kids, as Frank recalls his next words were: “THAT is what WAR is really about!”. “War is NOT the way to solve our problems and he went on to meet with the President of Austria and Corporate leaders to put pressure on their governments to seek alternative peaceful options to war, striving to stop wars for the rest of his life].

Emma Mai Ewing having been a witness to so much as a well went on to work for C.A.R.E. (Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere), traveling extensively over the world helping those in other countries with essentials as well.

Getting back to our story and discussions in 2001, Frank and Ann Ewing agreed that the foundation of a decent life requires a good home and they would start a project to provide them and promote a healthy lifestyle, a practical and purpose-filled one as well. That fateful day of 9/11/2001 led them to Jackson,Tennessee. After seeing smoke still billowing from the World Trade Center towers from the New Jersey Turnpike, they continued to Jackson, Tennessee where Frank’s grandparents had lived since 1948. They moved into the former grandparent’s home Frank’s recently deceased Mom had lived in. In less than a year, they learned that West Tennessee would be a good place to start Better World Enterprises and to finally make their conversations become a purpose-filled reality. So it began, with one property on Westwood Avenue allowing only non-smoking tenants we shared information with about living a healthy life, living on a reasonable budget, and shared the idea of living a “higher-purpose-filled life”.

They were told they would fail, a project like this in a tobacco state would not work, not to mention we hadn’t grown up here. Frank however DID spend summers here for years working and says today; “with a middle name like Crockett it seems that I should be here”. That said, with a LOT of effort and personal sacrifice Ann and Frank DID start and within two years rehabbed and acquired dozens of properties, providing nice affordable places to live that make the community better, healthier, more affordable, and fill a simple, but desperately needed service.

2021 will be the twentieth anniversary of this project as Better World Enterprises progresses into solar and other cost-saving practices for all.