76
Currently, it operates out of five
different buildings.
The Center’s new digs are off
Clear Lake Road on the old Kennedy
Sausage Plant property purchased
for $625,250. Another $471,000
went toward demolition, engineer-
ing, consulting and architect fees,
while a new roof and complete pref-
acing of the building’s exterior cost
another $936,000. Going into the
final building phase, the Center has
$1 million in the bank. An additional
$2,200,000 is needed to finish the
38,000-sq.-ft. project.
“The building is well on its way,”
PCCH CEO Paula Robinson said,
who has been with the nonprofit
since the late ‘90s. “It looks beauti-
ful. The outside has been completely
refurbished; they call it ‘refaced.’ It
fits in nicely with the area — it’s a
quality-looking place. It has a new
roof on it, but the inside is a big
empty cave.”
Robinson said almost $1 million
of the $3,200,000 will be spent on
outside site work and utilities.
“There’s a major excavation that
has to be done,” she explained. “It’s
over two feet of dirt that has to be
moved around quite a bit, and part
of that is going to cover up the exist-
ing parking area that’s paved. It’s
going to have to be repaved. So a big
chunk of the cost is outside work.”
Inside work will include the
construction of a commercial kitchen,
classrooms and counseling rooms.
There will also be a child supervi-
sion/visitation area, a multi-purpose
room/Bible study room and a large
grocery area. A new home and stor-
age space for the Center’s resale
shop — The Hope Chest — will also
be constructed. The resale shop is
currently located at 1020 Fort Worth
Highway. Furnishings and fixtures
and contingency funds are all includ-
ed.
According to Robinson, while
some funding is received from foun-
dations, most of the Center’s funding
comes from the community.
“We have tremendous community
support,” she said. “We’re supported
by 75 churches; there are churches
and individuals that we really do rely
on. We’re really reaching out to the
churches right now to help us finish
Computer students
this final phase.”
The Center is unabashedly
Christian in mission, taking to heart
Christ’s instructions concerning
caring for those in need and spread-
ing the Good News.
Asked what a ministry like the
Center of Hope means to a commu-
nity, Robinson said:
“Years ago, I was always uncom-
fortable if I went to chamber meet-
ings with other businesses because
I felt like we were different and we
didn’t fit in. But I actually drew from
the way other businesses accepted
me and what we did at the Center of
Hope; [they] told us how important
what we did was. I began to learn
that we do make a difference, you
know, not just to the people we’re
serving, but to our community.”
Not only does the Center feed,
assist and train those in need, it
provides an opportunity for people to
volunteer, to give back, participate in
something bigger than themselves.
“It’s not just people that have a
need that get help here,” Robinson
said. “Personally, I can’t imagine
who I would be if I hadn’t been
here all these years, the way God
has changed my life. But I’ve seen it
in lots of volunteers. Their lives are
changed because of serving.”
She said many in the community
are just one step away from life-
altering change, whether caused by
a major medical crisis or the loss of
a job.
“It’s easy to judge people and
think, ‘Oh, I could get a job here
or there,’ but I’ve seen it happen
to well-educated, good everyday
citizens, I mean not be able to find