ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Sherwood Baptist Church’s Hope Center celebrated the construction of a new kitchen and meeting space Friday, Aug. 21; the space is designed to help people learn job skills.

The Hope Center provides food and clothing to people in need, and also offers training in automotive, plumbing, and carpentry work.

New kitchen expands mission

WebstaurantStore is supporting the project with a $200,000 donation toward construction of the new learning space. The kitchen is being built at the Coke plant and will expand the Hope Center’s life skills program, which already teaches automotive, plumbing, and carpentry.

“I know that this organization is going to have provided so many incredible opportunities for members of our community who have gone through this program, and who have gained successful employment, who have mortgage-paying jobs, who have created opportunities not just for themselves, but their entire families, who have supported restaurants and hospitality industries all over our community and beyond,” Jay Houston, WebstaurantStore recruitment and community relations manager, said.

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Hope Center director, Ken Bevel, said the partnership and new venture reflect the organization’s mission. Bevel reflected on the proverb “give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

“It’s so important to give back and help, because Jesus says, ‘to whom much is given, much is required.’ We’ve been given much. We’ve been blessed with much. And so we want to be able to give what we have back out to our people,” Bevel said.

City and county leaders attend

Many people attended the celebration, including city and county leaders, as well as Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes.

Dougherty County Commissioner Chad Warbington, a Sherwood Baptist church member, said the need in Albany is great and it’s important for non-profits to extend their hand.

“You know, a lot of people who come here are kind of at the bottom. They’re at the end of the rope. You know, finances are tough. They’ve had some challenging issues happen in their life. And so really what Sherwood and now Webstaurant and I are partnering, you know, these two entities are all about trying to teach folks a new way of life and some job skills, but also help the businesses,” Warbington said.

Construction of the two new additions to the Hope Center is expected to be completed by May of 2027.

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