About Us
Sunlight Sober Homes Inc. is a proud 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing supportive housing and resources for individuals in recovery. Our mission is to promote sobriety and build stronger, healthier communities through compassionate care and meaningful connection. As a recognized nonprofit, we are committed to transparency and the responsible use of every donation to further our work and serve our residents with integrity.
About Us
Sunlight Sober Homes Inc. is a proud 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing supportive housing and resources for individuals in recovery. Our mission is to promote sobriety and build stronger, healthier communities through compassionate care and meaningful connection. As a recognized nonprofit, we are committed to transparency and the responsible use of every donation to further our work and serve our residents with integrity.
Tara's Story
Tara Tinnin | Co-Founder
After high school, Tara went to the University of Denver for college, followed by law school. While in law school, she struggled with burnout, depression, and prescription amphetamines. She withdrew from school to focus on her mental health and recovery.
During this time, she spent a year living in a high-quality sober living home in San Francisco, eventually becoming the house manager. She saw firsthand the benefit of the accountability and community provided by quality sober living. She made lifelong friends, learned household and time management skills, and developed leadership and decision-making skills during her time as house manager.
Tara never expected or planned to move back to Arkansas, but a pivotal event changed her mind. In 2018, she was visiting Little Rock and ran into a friend from high school who was attending a funeral—her mother’s. She died while living in a sober living home in Little Rock. When Tara learned about the options available to recovering women in Little Rock, she felt called to move back to Arkansas. She knew what high-quality sober living could do for people; it wasn’t right that Arkansans didn’t have better choices, and she wanted to make a difference in her hometown.
Kaki's Story
President of the Board of Directors
Kaki’s personal struggle with addiction began in the years after high school. Lost jobs. Lost friends. Meth. Heroine. Homelessness. Prison. All were a part of her story. For years, she cycled through detox, treatment, sober living homes, and jail. In 2017, she was facing legal consequences related to her addiction and was given the option to go to treatment. She decided to try one more time. But this time, she left the state of Arkansas. She went to treatment in Navarre Beach, Florida.
After treatment, she moved into a high-quality sober living home in Florida. During her seven months there, she stayed clean, got a job, and paid rent for the first time in her life. She will never forget the feeling of working hard and making that first rent payment. Those feelings of pride and self-efficacy were crucial steps in her early recovery. Eventually she got her own place, She became a licensed yoga instructor and continued doing the things she had to do to stay clean.
In 2018, Kaki reconnected with Tara. They discussed at length the situation with sober living and recovery in Little Rock. Kaki had been through every sober home and recovery center in Central Arkansas, and none were like the places they had experienced in California and Florida. Driven by a passion to help people like herself, Kaki moved back to Arkansas to work hand-in-hand with Tara and John to change the face of recovery in Little Rock. Kaki works as the Director of Outreach at Serenity Park Recovery Center and teaches yoga to the clients.
Kaki currently serves as the president of the Board of Directors for Sunlight.
John's Story
John Cunningham | Secretary | Treasurer | Board of Directors Member
John is a lifelong Little Rock resident who spent over 40 years in Hillcrest, a neighborhood that has shaped generations of his family. His mother grew up there and still lives there today. For John, Hillcrest has always meant home—a place defined by connection, history, and community.
When John was eleven, his younger brother was born with Down syndrome. From the very beginning, John became a devoted big brother, and that role shaped the way he shows up for others—with patience, loyalty, and care.
John’s commitment to recovery is deeply personal. In 2007, his older brother Rickie lost his battle with alcohol. The loss was devastating for John and his entire family, leaving behind grief, confusion, and the lingering question of what might have helped. What remained, though, was a powerful belief in the importance of support, connection, and second chances.
When John, Kaki, and Tara began imagining what sober living in Little Rock could look like, John knew he wanted to help build something meaningful—something rooted in dignity, safety, and community. He believes that quality sober living can change lives, and that everyone deserves a real opportunity to step out of darkness and into stability.
Today, John serves as Secretary and Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Sunlight Sober Living, helping guide the organization with the same values that shaped him: family, accountability, and hope.
Sunlight's Story
Sunlight was founded in 2018 by three friends from Little Rock Central High School—Tara, Kaki, and John. Each of them has been personally impacted by substance use and addiction, and they share a deep belief in the power of recovery when people are given the right environment and support.
The first Sunlight home was located in the Heights and served women only. While Sunlight was initially intended to focus exclusively on women, members of the recovery community soon asked the founders to open a men’s home as well. By mid-2019, Sunlight expanded to serve both women and men. In 2020, the organization moved to Hillcrest, offering residents a more walkable neighborhood, greater access to jobs, and proximity to community resources.
When Sunlight began, nearly all sober living beds in the area were in overcrowded homes located in high-crime neighborhoods or in institutional-style facilities, such as converted nursing homes. Research—and lived experience—show that outcomes are poor when people in recovery lack access to safe, high-quality housing.
Sunlight exists to raise the bar in every way. Our homes are beautiful, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed, offering residents space, comfort, and dignity. We are located in Hillcrest, a historic and welcoming neighborhood in the heart of Little Rock that is safe, diverse, and connected. Little Rock has one of the strongest recovery communities in Arkansas, and our homes are within walking distance of job opportunities and 12-step meetings.
Our house managers and leadership genuinely care about the people who live here and about their recovery. Sunlight provides structure, accountability, and support in a healthy, family-like environment—where people learn from one another, grow together, and build the foundation for lasting change.
About Our Non-Profit
Sunlight Sober Living is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe, stable sober housing for adults in early recovery. We believe housing is a foundational part of recovery, and that individuals leaving treatment need structured, supportive environments where they can rebuild their lives with dignity.
As a nonprofit, Sunlight Sober Living operates for the public good rather than private profit. Resident program fees help cover basic housing costs such as rent, utilities, food staples, and maintenance. Community donations and grants allow us to keep homes affordable, maintain safe and welcoming living environments, and offer limited financial assistance to residents who might otherwise be unable to access sober housing.
Sunlight Sober Living does not provide medical care, inpatient treatment, detox services, or clinical therapy. Instead, we serve as a supportive housing resource within a broader recovery continuum, encouraging residents to remain engaged with treatment providers, counselors, support groups, and healthcare professionals in the community.
Our nonprofit model allows us to focus on thoughtful admissions, small-scale homes, and strong house culture rather than growth for growth’s sake. Every decision is guided by our mission to promote stability, accountability, and community for people working toward long-term recovery.
Through partnerships, donations, and community support, Sunlight Sober Living works to reduce barriers to safe housing and strengthen recovery outcomes for individuals and families in our community.
About Our Non-Profit
Sunlight Sober Living is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe, stable sober housing for adults in early recovery. We believe housing is a foundational part of recovery, and that individuals leaving treatment need structured, supportive environments where they can rebuild their lives with dignity.
As a nonprofit, Sunlight Sober Living operates for the public good rather than private profit. Resident program fees help cover basic housing costs such as rent, utilities, food staples, and maintenance. Community donations and grants allow us to keep homes affordable, maintain safe and welcoming living environments, and offer limited financial assistance to residents who might otherwise be unable to access sober housing.
Sunlight Sober Living does not provide medical care, inpatient treatment, detox services, or clinical therapy. Instead, we serve as a supportive housing resource within a broader recovery continuum, encouraging residents to remain engaged with treatment providers, counselors, support groups, and healthcare professionals in the community.
Our nonprofit model allows us to focus on thoughtful admissions, small-scale homes, and strong house culture rather than growth for growth’s sake. Every decision is guided by our mission to promote stability, accountability, and community for people working toward long-term recovery.
Through partnerships, donations, and community support, Sunlight Sober Living works to reduce barriers to safe housing and strengthen recovery outcomes for individuals and families in our community.