Danville homeless shelter to get new home

The House of Hope homeless shelter is in final negotiations to move.

Plans call for the shelter to relocate from its current location at 716 Claiborne St. to the basement of the Compson Studios building at 707-711 Ridge St.

Cindy Hill ran the Claiborne Street shelter for two years after the death of her husband, Pastor Larry Hill. For six years, the two ministered to the area’s homeless before opening a shelter at Christians United Faith Baptist Church in January 1994 at urging from local police and fire departments.

The shelter is moving into a permanent home after she retires and the Claiborne Street site closed on the last day of last year.

House of Hope’s executive committee, led by President Donnie Anderson and Vice President Stephen Cook, has worked with other members of the organization’s board of directors to solidify a permanent home for the shelter.

“Three of the six members of our executive committee, including Stephen and I, are ministers,” said Anderson. “Luckily, we had other board and community members lend a hand and their expertise when selecting the property and with work needing to be done to it.”

Location, location, location

“We couldn’t ask for a better, more centralized address,” said Cook.

“We have full access to social service and city agencies that are primarily located in the downtown Danville area. With these tools, we can better help our residents get back on their feet after short-term assistance, not to mention that the building will be in great shape and more user-friendly after the completion of work by contractors.”

Anderson offered thanks to “everybody who has stepped up to the plate, donating funds, clothes, food, and their time and expertise.”

The effort should pay off, Anderson said. “My brother and House of Hope director, Steve Anderson, has his hands full with the move, but he will be in a much more advantageous position when it comes to operating House of Hope.”

Making it happen fast

Cook said the Board of Directors has been working nonstop since Hill retired and the Claiborne Street shelter closed its doors on Dec. 31.

“By January 10th, during the coldest single-digit temperature nights of this frigid winter, we were again open for guests (the homeless),” he said. “We would like to thank Mrs. Hill for her continued and tireless service to the community.”

However, Hill may not be fully satisfied with retirement. “I feel that I may have made a mistake by leaving the shelter when I did,” Hill said during a call to the Danville & Register and Bee.

“I was completely burned out after years of running the shelter by myself, but there are plenty of people who need help in the North Danville community, and I want to be there for them. Lord knows I’ve had plenty of time to rest over the past four months.”

If all operational details continue as scheduled, House of Hope plans to start operating out of the Ridge Street location by the beginning of next week.