The first House of Hope residential home for teen boys in the state of Illinois will open Feb. 1, 2010 in New Lenox. Christ Mission Church, 22811 S. Cedar Rd., has offered the use of Shepherd's House, a former ministry serving pregnant women, as a temporary home for teen boys. Shepherd's House, pictured here, is designed to meet the residential needs of teens. image courtesy of House of Hope

House of Hope First home for teen boys to open

Lynn Dill - Reporter
November 05, 2009 - Neighbors

For two local women, the opening of the first House of Hope residential home for teen boys in the state of Illinois on Feb. 1, 2010 in New Lenox is an answer to prayers.

The home will offer a safe and loving, Christ-centered environment for teenage boys, along with providing counseling and mentoring, during a difficult time in their lives.

''We (House of Hope founder Therese Galvan and herself) prayed that God would open a door for us and our prayers were answered within days,'' said Debbie Gutraj, ministry coordinator for House of Hope.

''We didn't even have to ask,'' Gutraj added.

Christ Mission Church has offered the use of Shepherd's House, a former ministry serving pregnant women, as a temporary home for teen boys. Previously, the church agreed to lease several acres of its land at 22811 S. Cedar Rd. in New Lenox to House of Hope Illinois for 99 years at $1 per year for the construction of a residential campus.

''We are still planning to build a campus, but it has been a challenge to overcome some of the engineering requirements of the Will County land use department,'' Gutraj said.

The future campus will include a home for teen boys and a home for teen girls, a home for preteens, a garden and greenhouse, a non-residential school for home education and counseling, and a creative arts center. A lighthouse tower in the center of the campus will offer a room in the base that will be open 24 hours a day.

''Our building team is working very hard, but it is taking a long time,'' Gutraj said.

Within days of sending out an e-mail, announcing the opening of the first home in Feb., Gutraj said that they received requests for residential care for two boys and possibly a third. House of Hope plans to provide care to eight boys with the help of two house parents, preferably a couple.

The boys will continue their education during their time at the home as well as participate in a variety of other life-changing activities.

''We are so grateful to Christ Mission Church for the opportunity to begin our residential program using their beautiful ministry home as we continue to plan and prepare to build our campus,'' Gutraj said.

House of Hope Illinois is part of National House of Hope, a non-denominational, not-for-profit organization that serves as a catalyst to develop networks of House of Hope, Christian residential programs, for troubled teenagers across the United States and internationally. The local organization is the only House of Hope in Illinois.

House of Hope Illinois currently operates a non-residential counseling facility at 9700 W. 197th St., Suite 106 in Mokena. In 2009, it served 65 teens and/or their parents from Mokena, New Lenox, Frankfort and surrounding areas in a non-residential program.

Gutraj said that she has seen an increasing need for residential care. She said that House of Hope offers hurting teens a temporary separation from their own homes where they can receive counseling and other services to begin the healing process.

For those that would like a preview of the home and would like to support the ministry at the same time, House of Hope is holding a Pampered Chef party at the new home, at 22811 S. Cedar Road, east of Christ Mission Church, in New Lenox at 1 p.m. on Nov. 21. All proceeds benefit House of Hope Illinois.

For more information on House of Hope and its services, call 708-479-2322.

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