Mid-Ohio Valley Foundations – Health: House to Home to expand shelter, services
The bare bones of what will be the main kitchen for the new location of the House to Home day shelter is shown by Secretary of the House to Home Board Michele Rusen at 825 Seventh St. The building was previously owned by Paul’s TV Services and was bought by the nonprofit in July. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
The new House to Home location at 825 Seventh St. will feature a new set of stairs that will lead up to office space for the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, as well as storage space for a clothes closet. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
The bare bones of what will be the main kitchen for the new location of the House to Home day shelter is shown by Secretary of the House to Home Board Michele Rusen at 825 Seventh St. The building was previously owned by Paul’s TV Services and was bought by the nonprofit in July. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
The new House to Home location at 825 Seventh St. will feature a new set of stairs that will lead up to office space for the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, as well as storage space for a clothes closet. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
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PARKERSBURG -- In July, local nonprofit House to Home bought Paul's TV Services at 825 Seventh St. to be its new location and continues to renovate for the upcoming opening of the building.
"We're hoping to open around mid- to late March," said Michele Rusen, secretary for the House to Home board. "We're still renovating but have already put a new roof on the building."
As they make their transition to the new location, House to Home is unsure of what their existing building will turn into.
The nonprofit has been at 413 Eighth St. since 2006, but has operated for the past 35 years.
The day shelter provides basic needs such as shelter from the weather, food, snacks, drinks, a hot meal, laundry access, mail and resources to find mental health and other services. They also provide toiletries and a full closet for men, women and children.
According to Rusen, the shelter serves a consistent 300 clients a month, with 50 new clients every month. As their clientele increases, the need for the new location also increases.
"We were looking to increase the services we provide to people who use the daytime shelter," board President Sue Lilly said. "House to Home needed the new location due to the age and space of the building."
Renovations for the new Seventh Street location include installation of showers and updated bathroom facilities, replacement of the roof, a kitchen for warming and serving hot meals and a fence with an outdoor picnic area. They also added a main staircase to the building that had not been present for many years. The nonprofit partners with the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness and hopes to add more partnerships into second-floor office space.
Those at House to Home appreciate the support from churches, local organizations, and individuals. Organizations that helped through either monetary donations or physical donations include Lowe's, the Sisters Health Foundation, the Milan Puskar Foundation, the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, 100 Women Who Care, the Dietzler Foundation and many others.
The Parkersburg Area Association of Realtors also made a large donation to the building fund after conducting a bingo for the shelter.
Gretchen Dowler can be reached at gdowler@newsandsentinel.com