COPPERAS COVE, Texas — Back in August, 25 News shared a story about how Cove House Emergency Homeless Shelter in Copperas Cove was planning to expand.
"We became a longer-term program — we just needed more room,” said Brian Hawkins, Executive Director of Cove House.
“We tried to see what we could do with the space that we had.”
It took more than seven years to get the expansion project at Cove House going.
They've hit a few snags along the way, but now, Phase One is complete, and it's on to Phase Two.
They needed more space to help more people like John Russell who was helped by Cove House in 2020.
”At that time, I was at a very down spot in my life as a single parent,” Russell said.
“I had some issues with my stepfather, and I ended up here.”
Now he has a home, a successful business, and just got married — with the Cove House Executive Director Brian Hawkins officiating his wedding.
These are things that Russell said wouldn't have happened if Cove House wasn’t here.
”They literally guided me to the direction I needed to go, and within two months, I was out of this place,” Russell said.
Four years later — Cove House is getting an upgrade.
During the first phase of the project, they tore down the house next door and built a duplex.
Helping families like a mother and her young son who went from the street to the brand new two-bedroom unit at Cove House.
Giving them the comfort and stability they need while mom works to get back on her feet.
Phase Two is building a six-plex where two small houses currently stand to drastically increase the amount of people they can help.
”This unit would house four people,” Hawkins said.
“The six-plex will have six units that will house four people, so we’re going to get rid of the capacity for eight and create the capacity for 24.”
”Don’t let pride get in the way,” Russell said.
“It's okay to ask for help and when you get that help, use it the way it’s needed, and you will go far.”
The six-plex will triple the number of people they can house at one time.
