VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The days are numbered for the aging buildings at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center's location on Virginia Beach Boulevard near the intersection with Birdneck Road.
The JCOC, which has served the community since 1986. It's known for it's housing assistance programs—helping those transition into permanent housing—in addition to its food assistance programs, like its community dinners.
"Anyone. You and I can walk in and ask for dinner and we would be served, no questions asked," Development Director Kristin Ward told News 3's Jay Greene. "We're doing about a hundred meals a day."
The center is near the completion of a $14-million campaign. It includes demolishing the existing buildings on its campus and rebuilding in the same exact location.
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They'll be replaced with a three-story building complete with a new kitchen, dining hall and administrative offices along with 38 affordable housing units, according to Kristin Ward, the center's development director.
The City of Virginia Beach has contributed $1 million through grants.
On Wednesday, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced nearly $130 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans will go to 78 projects across Virginia.
Of that, $500,000 will go to the JCOC's project on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
But the announcement came as a bit of a surprise to the staff, Ward told Greene.
"WTKR is the one that told us and alerted us of the news release that came out today," Ward said.
Once ground is broken, which is slated to happen in the next few months, then JCOC will receive the money which will all go toward construction of the new building.
Between its housing and meal programs, the JCOC serves 33,000 people—or guests—every year, and organizers previously told News 3 64% of their clients live fewer than 2 miles from the facility.
That money, according to Ward, is a forgiveable loan, and only interest will need to be repaid.
But the construction—which is about a decade-old vision—is crucial, Ward said.
"Affordable housing is just so limited and hard to find for everyone," Ward said. "To be able to be a part of the story and be a part of the success is huge."
Click here for food pantry resources for Virginia Beach residents.
Click here for homeless and housing crisis resources in Virginia Beach.
