SINKING SPRING, Pa. – A Berks County organization is opening doors and building connections for people looking for a place to call home.
69 News Reporter Sydney Kay gives us a look into how the effort is helping meet a growing need across communities.
You drive by homes every day, but you don’t always know the story inside the four walls.
One home on Penn Avenue in Sinking Spring has its own history, but its future is to help veterans and seniors.
WFMZ-TV | Sydney Kay
“We thought if we could find a home where seniors could share a house, it would help offset the cost of living and also to help combat loneliness,” said April Crossley.
Crossley and Lura Bare are co-founders of the company, Homes of Grace.
“She was a teenage mom. I myself am a survivor of domestic violence and we know how hard it is to keep a safe stable roof over your head,” Bare said.
That stability and comfort is what they’re aimed at providing for those most vulnerable.
WFMZ-TV | Sydney Kay
“Twenty percent of the homeless population in Berks County actually are seniors,” explained Crossley.
They say their hearts are meant to serve others, creating this safe space with ADA accessibility, two kitchens, and multiple bedrooms fitting eight tenants.
“We are aiming to keep our rent about thirty percent below fair market rent and that will include all of their utilities,” Crossley said.
When it came to creating the design of the home, the pair tells 69 News they invited nonprofits to make sure they’re meeting the needs of potential renters.
WFMZ-TV | Sydney Kay
“What is needed and how would you structure this house so that people are comfortable? It was wonderful, the nonprofits in Berks County are amazing,” Crossley said.
With its completion goal for renovations set for late summer, they say this first house is much more than just a living space.
“Outside of things that are required by code, such as a sprinkler system, we really wanted it to feel like a home. That way we could grow a small community,” explained Bare.
For more information, people can go to the Homes of Grace website.