The nondescript, pale yellow house in Nemacolin now sits empty. But for the past three years, the inside of the small house was a space for children to thrive. There, the Helping House had been assisting children with their homework, supplying dinner and snacks, and providing a place for those children to wash their clothes and have access to hygienic necessities during the school year and summer months since it opened its doors in October 2021. Unfortunately, the house in Nemacolin closed its doors at the end of the 2024 school year when its three-year grant funding ran out and the school district declined to continue the project.
The announcement to move the house from Nemacolin came as a surprise to many parents, and some expressed dismay over the move, citing transportation concerns. But the house had no choice but to move locations due to cost concerns. The house, originally funded through a grant and Carmichaels Area School District, reached the end of its grant allotment and the district declined funding the house. It is now a non-profit, community-based after school program.
At The Helping House, children receive homework help, tutoring, mentoring, a free hot dinner, snacks, showers and grooming, laundry, socialization, internet service, and more. According to the parents, one of the most valuable benefits is the laundry service. Using the washer and dryer from the previous Helping House, and thanks to the township supervisors adding washer hook-ups and new wiring for the dryer, children are still able to learn valuable skills and gain a sense of pride by washing their own clothes.They learn how to run the washer using different settings for various types of clothes, measure the detergent, and fold laundry. Children also learn how to run the sweeper, mop floors, clean the bathroom, and do other household chores needed to keep a clean, healthy home.
Rather than see the area children lose out on such a valuable resource, local teachers and volunteers got together to find a new location and funding sources. When teacher Traci Dobish was informed by Carmichaels School District administration that the program would dissolve because the ESSER Grant ended and the district was unable to fund it, she began searching for alternatives. She contacted Cumberland Township Supervisor Sam Hastings to inquire about the Crucible Fire Hall.
Traci and Amanda Anderson toured the facility with Hastings and Brian Sokol to determine if it would be a good fit. It needed some TLC, but they loved the location and its every aspect. Cumberland Township Supervisors Sam Hastings, Jim Sokol, and Bill Nicholson, along with Brian Sokol, have assisted them throughout the process.
The empty fire department is the new home of the helping house, and while it might not have the same homey feeling of the small house in Nemacolin on the hill, it provides a better space for the children to spread out and enjoy a myriad of activities, as well as space to play outside. Inside, you’ll find a reading nook, an art station, homework stations, a cozy living room, a gaming corner, tables, and more. The space is much larger, which means more children can attend; this year’s attendance is up to 40 children, compared to the former average of 15.
Traci and her husband Lou,along with Amanda Anderson, Shannon Adamson (and sons Aydan and Ambrose), Natalie Crouse (and family Darren, Sophie, and Levi), Randi Knizner, Kate Hills-man, and Jeff Donaldson, worked endlessly for weeks to get the fire hall cleaned, organized, and ready to open.
“Lou installed new flooring in the kitchen and made SO many trips after work to pick up donated furniture and deliver it to the helping house for us. Every day I would give him new addresses, and he gladly made his rounds and picked up the items for us,” Traci says. “Our teachers worked all day at school, then reported to The Helping House after work to scrub walls, floors, and move furniture. It was a group effort, and everyone pulled together and made it happen in a matter of weeks. We have the BEST group of teachers that work very well together!”
In addition, Humble Carpet donated carpet remnants for the “family room” and “the gaming corner” of the Helping House, and Dan Smith is purchasing more carpet to help keep the children’s feet warm from the concrete floor in the upcoming winter months.
At the open house held in early September, children happily explored the new space, while snacking on delicious cookies. Parents and donors also got the chance to see the space and talk with the teachers and volunteers who will support the endeavor for the school year. Before they left, children received a dinner to take home – one for themselves and one for each sibling they have at home.
One of the biggest hurdles facing some of the children that previously attended is transportation. Some of these children walked to and from Helping House after getting off their Nemacolin bus. Now, with the location seven miles away in Crucible, they have no way of returning home after the house closes and are unable to attend. Helping House had hoped to have a bus available to students with drop-off points in the school district, but the cost is prohibitive – they would need to pay almost $800 a week to do so.
There is a bus that takes the children from school to Crucible, where a teacher waits at the bus stop to walk them to The Helping House. Space on the bus filled up quickly, and there is now a waiting list. With so many children at different grade levels attending, staffing may need to be increased, and they are currently working on a bussing solution to ensure every child who wants to attend will have the opportunity.
Without funding support from the school district this year, Helping House is running entirely on charitable contributions from community members and organizations. A very generous monetary donation from the Scott A. Kiger Family Foundation has allowed the house to continue.
“Jared Edgreen, Greene County Commissioner, has also been in close contact with me to pro-vide resources for us to apply for funding. He has been very helpful.”
The Scott A. Kiger Family Foundation, Dan Smith, and Nikki Worch have helped with every single step needed to open The Helping House this year. Traci was told, “Do what you do best and run this Helping House like you have been doing for the last three years, and we will take care of everything else on the business end to get you up and running.”
The Helping House is currently looking for monetary donations to keep running. Also, If you would like to donate items, The Helping House needs the following items: slippers, socks, indi-vidually packaged snacks, Spaghetti O’s, Ravioli, EZ Mac and Cheese, fruit, paper plates, plastic ware, All Free and Clear laundry detergent and dryer sheets, bleach, paper towels, toilet paper, Dawn dish soap, liquid hand soap, shampoo, hair conditioner, hair brushes, deodorant/antiperspirant, and anything you would typically use within your household.
If you are interested in supporting the Helping House through donations, please reach out to Traci Dobish at tdobish@gmail.com. All support is welcome so they may continue to provide this excellent resource to community children!
