City of Morgantown image.
MORGANTOWN, W. Va.–Despite the pandemic and a severe storm, Hazel’s House of Hope on Scott Avenue in Morgantown is now evolving into the social service hub originally envisioned by members of the local leaders.
The center is managed by Morgantown Community Resources (MCR), board member Ron Justice recently celebrated the anticipated opening of the Hope Hill Sobering Center, Catholic Charities is now fully operational and soon addiction triage organization Lauren’s Wish will open.
“One is Wellspring, the other is the new Aspire Group that focuses on veterans,” Justice said. “We’re going to be about 85 to 90 percent full in the spring.”
The building, which used to be the Morgantown Ramada Inn, sustained damage in a May storm but repairs have now been made.
The Salvation Army currently operates from Hazel’s House of Hope but will soon move their administrative operations there as well.
“In the very near future the Salvation Army will be moving their offices up here, we’re going through those renovations right now and the feeding program is open,” Justice said.
Local leaders, volunteers and organizations had no example to emulate and the work was complicated by pandemic-related shutdowns and a May 2022 storm that ripped a significant portion of the roof off the building. One by one, the challenges were met with new solutions to keep the work on track.
“We had the roof damage, obviously the storm set us back a little bit,” Justice said. “But, I think we’re at a point of recovery from that and it’s really good to see this asset in Morgantown.”
A portion of a $1 million federal earmark obtained through U. S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito will be used to paint and seal the entire exterior and local business, City Neon has donated new signage to clearly identify the building.
“We’ve had great support from the Monongalia County Commission, the City of Morgantown City Council, WVU, WVU Medicine and Mon Health through this project,” Justice said. “It has really been a team effort.”