The director of West Virginia Children's Home Society from Programming Denise Hughes, Center, cut the volume on Monday at the company's new Parkersburg situation at the former Worthington primary school. The building has undergone almost two years of renovation work and opened last November. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Parkersburg – In the heart of Worthington, children and families can now receive help in the local community via the children's housing company of West Virginia.
The company organized a ceremony and an open apartment in the former Worthington Elementary School in the 2500 36th St. in Parkersburg with over 50 people, including local officers, managing directors, the Chamber of Commerce and others.
The company took over the building a few years ago and renovated the buildings of the former school to carry out a number of programs.
Mary White, CEO of the West Virginia Children's Home Society, said that on Monday there was a “monumental historical day” for the children's home Society.
“We have been working on this project for some time,” she said. “We knew that we needed a place to grow so that we could take care of more children and more families.
The West Virginia Children's Home Society had a ribbon/open house event in its new facility in the Worthington School on Monday in the Worthington School. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
“We are lucky that this is now our home.”
White said you had looked at many facilities in the area. However, she remembered that she had come to the Worthington School and said: “That is.”
Donations were collected to buy the building and renovate it.
“Because of all of you, these buildings … were paid in full,” said White. “Thank you.”
The former CEO Steve Tuck spoke about the history of the local programs that went back to the 1970s when it was the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Youth Corporation. He spoke about judge Arthur Guske to spend time with the children they served. The local programs merged with the Kinderhome Society in 1992.
Mary White, CEO of the West Virginia Children's Home Society, spoke on Monday during a ligament reduction at the new location of the company in Parkersburg on the former Worthington Elementary School in 36th Street. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
“I hope you will share the excitement that we have about what this facility builds on what we did before,” he said.
The children's home company recalled the 129th anniversary on Sunday, which is known to the organization as a “founding day”.
The facility was called the heart of Worthington in honor of the school and in other places nearby, which have the name Worthington.
Director of Programing Denise Hughes said that the renovation project was created by some important donations from area foundations, including the Antero Foundation, the McDonough Foundation, the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, the United Way and others as well as companies and individual donations that were initiated into the project.
“Our mission is to promote the well -being of children,” said Hughes. “We work with families to keep families together, to work on problems that could work against families and more.”
A ribbon and an open day took place in the New Parkersburg of the West Virginia Children's Home Society at the former Worthington primary school, which is now called “The Heart of Worthington”. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
They also work on care and adoption as well as early childcare programs together with developmental delays. On the site there are food supply chambers and clothing cabinets that help the families serve them. There are also special visiting rooms in which parents/children's visits can take place and more. They have two rooms that have geared towards younger children and one for older children.
Hughes said that construction work had converted former classrooms in offices, the visiting rooms, meeting rooms and more. The roof was set and the air systems were inserted. Strong tower cladding and the steering of heating and cooling did the work.
The school was empty for a few years and became vandalism.
“We had to carry out many repairs to Windows and initially replace 16 windows,” said Hughes.
The new facility was opened in November 2024 and serves children and families.
The visitors made a tour through the new Parkersburg facility of the West Virginia Children's Home Society on the former Worthington primary school. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Hughes said she loved her old location in the St. Marys Avenue in the Easton building.
“It was fantastic for the time when we had it, but we quickly exceeded it,” she said. “It was important that we found a larger room.”
The next project is to renovate the gym. You are currently collecting money with a target of 400,000 US dollars. The room is used for community functions and would like to move a kitchen back into the former cafeteria room and carry out roof repairs and install a new air system.
The furnishings serve 13 counties around Wood County. Last year, the children's home company served 3,492 in this area, while the company served 18,661 nationwide, said Hughes.
The children's home society is one of the organizations that people can donate today as part of the “Give Local Fundraising” event.
Around 50 people from all over the community visited an event for cutting/day of the Open House in the new facility of the West Virginia Children's Home Society in Parkersburg on the former Worthington primary school. People were pending to see the renovation work for the building where offices, service areas, meetings and much more were created. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Although they have moved, many have found them in the community and are now in an area where they can still reach and help a large number of people in the area, said Hughes.
“It's fantastic,” she said. “We love this community. It is a much larger space. The space will improve our ability to provide services.”
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsatinel.com
A children's clothing canteen in the new Parkersburg facility of the West Virginia Children's Home Society on the former Worthington Elementary School. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)