A new dining area with a large table was added to the Arthur N. Gustke Child Shelter which will allow the children in its care to sit together and enjoy their meals in a more comfortable, family-style setting. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — The Arthur N. Gustke Child Shelter has recently undergone a major renovation and added a new kitchen and dining area, thanks to the support from the local community and the generosity of an anonymous donor.

“It was the kindness of someone’s heart and not a company,” Shelter Supervisor Kelsey Cline said. “And I think that’s the coolest part. Somebody that truly just wanted more for the kids.”

The shelter, which is part of the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia and provides temporary housing for children referred by the Department of Human Services, has been located on St. Marys Avenue since moving from Latrobe Street in 2004. However, the facility was in need of upgrades to better serve the 10 children it houses at a time.

“I’ve not seen any major renovations in the last 11 years that I’ve worked here,” Cline said.

That’s where the anonymous donor and support from the local community stepped in. After learning about the shelter’s needs during a visit, the donor provided enough funding to create a brand new kitchen and dining area for the facility. With help from fundraising by the Parkersburg Women’s Club they were able to include new appliances, furniture, and even found a custom-built conference table donated by a community member.

A new kitchen has been added to the Arthur N. Gustke Child Shelter that Shelter Supervisor Kelsey Cline said provides an even better experience for the children in the shelter’s care as they await their next steps. (Photo Provided)

“I’ve never seen that kind of kindness and donation all at the same time for something that I can make happen,” Cline said “We really, really depend on the community support, and it’s very cool to watch that. It’s people that actually want to help and want to be around and want to support us.”

Cline spoke highly of the work done by Strong Tower Contracting LLC and Steers Heating & Cooling in getting the new addition built and operational.

“They have been terrific to work with,” she said. “They’re huge with us; those two have partnered up really well with us.”

Cline said the renovations have made a significant difference in the day-to-day operations of the shelter. She said the new location on the first floor lets the kids carry groceries directly into the new kitchen space. The larger dining area also allows the children to sit together and enjoy their meals in a more comfortable, family-style setting.

But the improvements don’t stop there. She said the shelter also has plans to renovate the old dining room on the second floor into a calming meeting space for the children to meet with therapists, social workers, and other staff. Additionally, she said they hope to build a new garage to provide much-needed storage space.

A new three-door refrigerator was just one of the new appliances the Arthur N. Gustke Child Shelter received after some much needed renovations. Shelter Supervisor Kelsey Cline said this will now allow them to keep even more food fresh as they buy their supplies in bulk. (Photo Provided)

Cline said with the renovations complete and the continued support of the local community, the shelter is poised to provide an even better experience for the children in its care as they await their next steps.

For more information on how community members or groups can help, call the shelter at 304-424-5244, or email Cline at: kcline@childhswv.org.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

A canvas with residents’ hand prints sits on display in the newly added kitchen and dining area at the Arthur N. Gustke Child Shelter. Shelter Supervisor Kelsey Cline said this would be added to a similar one of the first children housed at the shelter. (Photo Provided)