On Wednesday, June 17th, at least 200 of JCOC’s dedicated community partners and supporters gathered under a big white tent for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the Macon & Joan Brock House on our new Betty B Chidester Campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia! Barbara Hamm Lee, executive producer and host of Another View on 89.5 WHRV-FM, emceed the afternoon event. Matt Breitenberg, co-lead and executive pastor of faithful partner Grace Bible Church began the ceremony in prayer. City of Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer, JCOC board chair Michele Partridge-Lane, and Allison Stanton McDuffie (Help Hope Healing Capital Campaign Committee Chair) shared heartfelt thoughts about the community support and fundraising success of raising $16 million needed to fund this project!

Surrounded by family and friends, philanthropist Dr. Paul Chidester gracefully reflected on the many times he and his late wife Betty B Chidester volunteered in JCOC’s old dining hall with their church, King’s Grant Presbyterian. Executive Director Todd Walker powerfully reminded us about the 14-year journey of this God sized project. This timeline and more pictures of this momentous day will be posted soon. The ribbon was ceremonially cut before everyone was invited to tour the Macon & Joan Brock House and enjoy the reception in the Todd A.J. Walker Community Room! For almost 40 years, JCOC has served as a lifeline to those who are unhoused, including our veterans, and those who are food insecure. Over the years the organization has outgrown the current facilities, yet the need for services continues to increase. The newly built Macon & Joan Brock House on the Betty B Chidester Campus includes:

• 38 affordable-housing units (approx. 300 sq. ft. each), greatly expanding JCOC’s role in building a bridge for unhoused single adults to move into permanent homes of their own.
• The more inviting, flexible and cost-effective Todd A.J. Walker Community Room (dining hall) and safe space for housed and unhoused families, veterans and individuals struggling with food insecurities. The complex will house JCOC’s Community Dinner and Food Pantry programs.
• New administrative offices for JCOC’s Rapid Rehousing and supportive programs to help participants achieve self-sufficiency.

JCOC is putting the finishing touches in being able to begin to serve our Community Dinner and Food Pantry neighbors in the Todd A.J. Walker Community Room in early July. Our Housing Support team is preparing to welcome the first of 38 tenants into the second and third floor studio apartments in the next few of weeks! More exciting information will be shared very soon. For more information, please call our office (757) 491-2846 or follow @JCOCvb on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.