Almost 30 years after opening its doors, the Penny House in Patrick Springs is getting a facelift, thanks to volunteers working to give the home a fresh coat of paint and make other needed repairs.
“We’ve been trying to do this for over a year. It has brightened this place up tremendously and given it a nice new facelift,” Lord’s Acre Committee President Jane Cardwell said.
The Penny House was established in 1996 by the Lord’s Acre Committee, a group of more than a dozen churches, to provide temporary housing for people who lose their homes and belongings to natural disasters such as fires and floods.
Since its opening, more than 100 families have stayed at the Penny House.
People can stay “until their insurance kicks in, they find somewhere they can go, or they can get back into their home. Most of the time it’s anywhere from four to seven people in this house,” Cardwell said.
Because the Penny House is used so often, Cardwell said a second house is needed.
“It’s been people in it ever since it started. Actually, it would be nice if we had a second Penny House because there were a lot of times we could actually use a second Penny House, but everybody wants a lot of money for their home. Hopefully in the future with more churches joining” we might be able to purchase another one, she said.
Larry and Margaret Vernon are in charge of the Penny House, checking residents in and making sure they have everything they need. Cardwell said Jimmy Willard, founder of Disaster Relief Food Ministry Inc., also helps supply food boxes to residents.
Before the walls were painted, the Patrick County Cluster built a new ramp and deck for the house.
“It’s a group of churches that goes out into the community” to complete projects for those in need, Cardwell said, adding that the Cluster will also install new flooring.
Half a dozen volunteers with Hope Center Ministries in Ararat and Disaster Relief helped paint the walls.
“Once we get all of this done, then the flooring’s next and then we’ll renovate it. We’ll update the pictures, update decor, there’ll be new curtains. We were donated a nice living room suite, we had two new beds donated, so it’s just to bring it up to date for the people who stay. Because they’ve been through so much that when they come it’s welcoming,” Cardwell said.
Hope Center resident Scott Rhudy said being able to share God’s love with the residents nearly brings him to tears.
“God’s doing this. I ain’t doing it for anybody but God and to help these people and to give back. With the lifestyle I lived before I was sober, if I can give back and help somebody show them God’s real, then I will. It puts a smile on my face the whole time I’m doing it and makes me feel good, and maybe show others there’s a different way to life,” Rhudy said.
Donations to the Penny House can be mailed to Larry Vernon at 255 Vernon Drive, Stuart, VA 24171.
