Jefferson County Non-Profit Launches Campaign to
Build New Community Services Center

Charles Town, WV – Celebrating 40 years of service to the Jefferson County community,
Jefferson County Community Ministries (JCCM) hosted a kick-off event to launch its new
capital campaign. Proceeds from the capital campaign will aim to support the construction
of The Neighbor Project: a new Community Services Center for the county.
JCCM has served homeless and at-risk populations in Jefferson County since 1983. The
organization began as a coalition of five churches and has expanded into a covenant of over
forty faith-based organizations throughout Jefferson County. JCCM currently provides a
cold weather shelter, food pantry, clothing closet, acute medical treatment, day
programming, and support services to over 1,800 people and 500 families each year.
Executive Director, Keith Lowry, kicked-off the program by giving an overview of the
Community Services Center, “JCCM will move its entire operation to the new Community
Services Center over the next five years. We are pleased to announce that the new center
will allow JCCM to have its own cold weather shelter as well as a year-round shelter for
families.”

The Community Services Center will be the first shelter in the Eastern Panhandle that will
allow homeless and at-risk families to stay together while receiving services. JCCM’s
temporary cold weather shelter is currently housed at the former Halltown Presbyterian
Church in Halltown, WV.

“We identified an immediate need. Families are often unable to stay together while
homeless, and the Neighbor Project will provide a solution for this issue,” noted Lowry.
The City of Ranson donated a large tract of land located on Racetrack Street in June 2022 to
JCCM to allow for the new center to be constructed. The City of Ranson’s donation included
two existing barn structures with over 26,000 square feet of space. JCCM aims to renovate
the property into the new center.

Ranson Mayor, Duke Pierson, gave remarks on the rising growth of at-risk and homeless
families in Jefferson County. “Without a place for families and kids in Jefferson County, we
are failing,” said Pierson. “I hope everyone in Jefferson County comes up with a way to
make contributions to the new Community Services Center.”

JCCM’s current facility is in the center of Charles Town’s downtown retail district, making it
difficult for individuals in need to access its services. The Community Services Center post
construction will be located on the border of Ranson and Charles Town, making it walkable
to downtown, close to West Virginia DHHR and other local social service agencies.
“We want to express thanks to the community for almost forty years of partnering together
to support our neighbors, “said Jennifer Verdugo, JCCM’s Development Director.

“The costs for the Community Services Center are going to include the buildout, equipping JCCM

with furniture and fixtures, and equipment upgrades for a combined estimated total of $12 million.”

During the celebration, Penny Porter, CEO of United Way of the Eastern Panhandle,
announced that the organization will donate $50,000 to kick-off JCCM’s capital campaign.
“For any investment through United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, we look for things that
align with education, financial stability, health, and basic needs services,” said Porter. “We
were absolutely thrilled whenever we heard about the plans for the Community Services
Center.”

For more information on Jefferson County Community Ministries and how to donate to the
Community Services Center, please visit www.jccm.us.
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Jefferson County Community Ministries is a faith-based organization focused on providing
assistance to the needy within Jefferson County since 1983. A cooperative ministry of local
faith-based organizations, it assists individuals in need by providing assistance when and
where they need it most. JCCM devotes resources to emergency assistance, as well as to
services geared towards helping clients access long-term solutions.