Robb Munger, the president and CEO of Exodus Place, gathered with four homeless men in July of 2009 with the goal of remodeling a corrections facility on the Grand River into a haven for homeless men.  This establishment would become a rapid re-housing foundation for those who need a hand up, not a handout. Setting this goal was the easy part, now they had to battle the destruction that water damage, sewage, and mold left on the building.
 
As word of the project spread, more people volunteered to help turn the dream into a reality. In fact, a lot of the volunteers were homeless men, veterans, and people in recovery. Some of these volunteers, including the four original men, worked up to 16 hours a day and slept on the concrete floors at night.
 
As the end of the project but the beginning of a future grew nearer, the four men decided that this new place would symbolize leaving the bondage of homelessness behind. They decided to name the building Exodus Place.