Gound broken for latest SWVA Isaiah 117 house

BIG STONE GAP — Social Services staff and directors from the Lenowisco area joined Isaiah 117 staff and volunteers Thursday to break ground for the latest Isaiah House in Southwest Virginia.Isaiah 117 houses typically are organized through a process starting with introducing communities to the concept, said Isaiah 117's Brandy Martin, the expansion coordinator for the Big Stone Gap house.The house follows the pattern of the 46 Isaiah 117 Houses now operating across the U.S., said Marton, with bedrooms, bathrooms, play areas, separate offices for child services workers. The houses are also stocked with children's clothing and toys, and various childcare and safety items that foster families will need to bring a child into their homes.Isaiah Houses like the new one also will support DSS staff and foster parents."It's exciting for these kids to know there's an actual home that they get to go to," said Martin.The entire site and construction budget, along with the first year's operating budget, have to be in hand before an Isaiah House is built, Martin added. A typical annual budget for each Isaiah House is approximately $172,000.Another eight Isaiah Houses are now under construction, with the organization raising community awareness to establish 10 more houses. Martin said plans call for the Big Stone Gap house to open by summer 2027 with one full-time and two part-time employees along with volunteers.Two Isaiah Houses are open in Virginia — in the Russell-Dickenson counties area and one serving Lynchburg and six surrounding counties. A Washington County, Virginia, is being built now, and one is planned for Rockingham County.Twenty Isaiah houses are operating in Tennessee, including four in Sullivan, Green, Carter and Washington counties. Three more are under construction, including a Hawkins/Hancock counties house.A private donor — requesting anonymity — donated the one-acre Big Stone Gap site, said Martin."Construction will start tomorrow," Martin said, adding that its location near U.S. Route 23 gives easy access from Social Services offices in Scott, Lee and Wise counties and Norton. "The localities have been gracious in helping us get the project started.""It's a place for children to have a home-like environment while we're looking for a placement for the kids," said Scott County Social Services Director Lana Mullins. "Now, they're in our office, which we make it as pleasant as it can be, but they're also in an office building. We're scrambling to keep them fed and entertained while we're making calls for placement, so this will provide a whole different environment.""People don't realize that being in an office is not just a night," said Lee County Social Services Director Michelle Brooks. "It can be a week or two weeks to get a placement for a child with a foster family. This is really showing God's love to the least of us.""We can't thank (Martin) enough for all that she's done and the vision she had," Brooks said. "Isaiah has already started with our staff. They bring something on the 17th of each month to our child services staff to make sure they're taken care of."