WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Hope House has relocated, and as a result, can now serve more women.
The new Hope House location, 495 E. Locust St., can provide night shelter for 10 women, whereas at the former location the occupancy was limited to five.
For those not familiar with Wilmington Hope House, it is a Christian, non-profit emergency drop-in house — a “stay safe” sleep space for women and children experiencing homelessness in Clinton County and surrounding areas, staffed by volunteers.
“We’re very excited to open the doors,” Director Tracy Scalf said Friday prior to the Friday night opening.
In addition to the doubling in potential occupancy, another benefit of the new place is its location, closer to compatible services offered at the Sugartree Ministry Center on East Main.
To get a good idea of the new spot, it is on East Locust Street next to the railroad tracks and across from Point Park, which is where Locust Street, Main Street, and Rombach Avenue meet.
Scalf said they are looking for more staff volunteers.
They also are wanting to expand some things, such as the hours so women don’t always have to exit at 7 a.m.
There are plans for an open house at the new location in the next month or so, Scalf said. The occasion will give locals a chance to see and learn about Wilmington Hope House, and also to meet Scalf who started as director last fall.
According to the website, “We do all of our intakes between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. We exit at 7 a.m. We welcome our guests into a clean and sober living environment. We offer clean showers, laundry facilities, and free wi-fi. Women (and children) are provided with clean pajamas, warm socks, an evening meal and light breakfast along with a warm bed, clean linens and a safe place to spend the night.”
Another good summary of the values of Hope House: “We do this by offering clean beds, listening ears, and Christian care, in a clean, safe, chaos-free, supportive, non-judgmental environment for women and children to find genuine, caring hospitality in their time of need. We believe a cup of hot coffee, and friendship offered in Christian hospitality by a committed community can be the beginning of a whole new life.”
Hope House’s original starting date was Oct. 15, 2014 by founder and former director Tammy Beery, with help from Jamie Quallen and Angela Nace. The Beery Family has moved out of the area, leading to the need for a new director.
If interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer, please call Tracy Scalf at 937-562-1377 or e-mail [email protected] .
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.