Vision:                                                                            Standing together to change lives by giving a hand up- not a hand out.

Invitiation

You are invited to become a partner to improve this community by investing in a vision to revitalize an existing property, turning it into a place that feeds people, houses people, clothes people and gives them an opportunity for job training, all the while giving them a hand up, not a hand out.

The Center

Built in the 1950s, this three building complex is located along Virginia Route 360 (Patrick Henry Highway) in the rural western part of Amelia County, Virginia. It is comprised of 14 acres and has  about 1300 ft of road frontage. The land itself has potential for future community improvement beyond the scope of this first phase. Community gardens, sports space and heathly walking trails are just the start of the vision.

Building 1

Currently the westernmost and smallest building, once an active repair garage for tractor trailers, is leased as a garage space. The vision is that one day it may be a youth center or large community space for sports, movies or concerts in a community with no theaters. The parking lot is currently leased to a "custom sheds" business.

Building 2 

The center building was once a popular restaurant and small market. This space was the very first place transformed to provide needed income for mission and center development.  The western end now houses the Amelia Thrift Store as of March 2017. The store was established as a community outreach over 14 years ago and in those years has given away more than $300,000 to help meet needs in the community plus jeans, shoes, and household goods are given away regularly.  Everything sold there is donated, there are are no salaries paid, and after operating expenses are paid, all earnings are given away.  Additionally, the store provides opportunity for job training in its servant program.

The central dining room  opened in December 2017. Currently open on  Wednesdays,Thursdays and Fridays for lunch and dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, the vision to be eventually open as a full service restaurant providing additional income for the center’s expansion and job opportunities. Learn more.

It is the vision to offer “pay it forward”  meals, where diners will be able to puchase meals for those who are in need and the hungry will be able to work to pay for their meals, so that all are fed. Currently we give free meal tickets to Amelia Social Services Department,  to recipients of the Community Thanksgiving meals and to others in need. Additonally, monthly missions are the designated recipients of dessert sales. Purchasing meals at Journey Station helps us to serve meals with a mission.

The east end banquet room serves as additional dining space and as a community gathering place. Journey UMC worships in this space and a sound system will provides a venue for entertainment in the restaurant. The meeting space is available for rent and catered meals are available to family groups and organizations.

Building 3 

The eastern building requires the most renovation but offers much potential. It was once a thriving motel but has fallen on disrepair. Renovations began in 2018 but were curtailed by the pandemic. Because of the road front location, there is also potential income for the center by allowing crafters to rent individual spaces to sell their craft items. We  also currently lease spaces monthly for storage.

The long-range vision for the spaces is to renovate them into transitional living spaces, to provide housing on a sliding scale based on the tenants’ ability to pay. Providing homeless people a permanent address and job training will help them to help themselves. Emergency housing could be provided in a community with few affordable opportunities for those on a fixed, low income or those temporarily misplaced due to fire, illness or loss of income. Renovations re-started in January 2023 with the vision of having "five rooms ready by fall".

When all this starts to happen, up on your feet.

Stand tall with your heads high. 

Help is on the way!    -Luke 21:28