This week our loving giving local team traveled to Crawford County.

The former arcade building in downtown Cambridge Springs is owned by the Christian Institute for Human Relations, serving the community since 1974.

“We do Christian-based projects in the community, trying to be supportive of community needs. And meeting the needs of people mostly — whether it’s through House of Hope, which is a woman’s care place, and Potters House in Edinboro is a student thing we do for outreach to the campus. We’ve done some sponsorships of some other people like Boro Women’s Services in Edinboro. So, we do those kinds of things,” said Ray Overholt, Christian Institute.

House of Hope is a faith-based transitional home for women and children. The program helps them overcome obstacles and become self-sufficient.

On the second floor, there are apartments inside this historic old building. On the first floor, which is open to the public, is a well-stocked thrift store.

The House of Hope thrift store on Main Street in Cambridge Springs helps support the program in a number of different ways.

“It helps provide finances for upstairs, and when new gals come in, they have an opportunity to be busy, learn a skill perhaps and help us out by giving back,” said Cheryl Boylan, House of Hope director.

This week’s Loving Giving Local donation will benefit new women coming to the House of Hope.

“For us to be able to bring Loving Giving Local to the Christian Institute in the great town of Cambridge Springs, and to see what they have going on and how our donation today is going to help the House of Hope and give back to the Cambridge Springs community and they been doing it for a long time here, we’re very excited to be a part of it and that’s what Loving Giving  Local is all about,” said Joe Askins, sponsor, Auto Express.

You can help support House of Hope. There’s a bowling fundraiser at Lost Lanes in Cambridge Springs on Friday, April 14. For more info on the bowling fundraiser contact Nancy Hanks at 814-853-8935.