HEARTS of Cleburne is making significant renovations to its new location in Heflin with the goal of expanding services to the east Alabama community.

Gifted by the Cleburne Baptist Association with a 4,000-square-foot building on Main Street, the nonprofit HEARTS (Helping Every Area Resident to Succeed) plans to increase its services and programs to meet the growing needs of those in Cleburne County and beyond. The renovations also will set the stage for HEARTS to become a state-designated Family Resource Center, which will open further pathways for the organization to serve.

HEARTS’ new location is expected to provide enough space for the nonprofit to triple its service capacity through the expansion of current programs and the addition of educational and vocational certificate programs, the organization said.

Renovations at the new HEARTS of Cleburne location include roof replacement, new electrical and plumbing, new HVAC system and new walls for offices and classrooms. (contributed)

“People in our community are struggling,” said Robi Mobley, executive director of HEARTS. “We are seeing an increase in the number of requests daily and the number of households we serve has doubled in the last year.”

HEARTS works in cooperation with area churches, volunteers and businesses to help people with short-term needs reach long-term success. The faith-based nonprofit offers a wide variety of services, including food pantries, clothing, financial assistance and more. It offers relief services to cancer patients, as well as a “Stork Program” to support expectant mothers, among other offerings.

Robi Mobley (right), executive director of HEARTS, accepts a grant from Alabama Power’s Breanna Walker on behalf of the Alabama Power Foundation. (contributed)

The Alabama Power Foundation recently presented HEARTS with a grant to support their goals. “Generous donations from the Alabama Power Foundation have been fundamental, not only in the renovation of our new building, but also in reaching our dream of becoming a Family Resource Center and helping to strengthen families in our communities,” Mobley said. “This partnership has proven invaluable.”

Since 2013, HEARTS has operated out of two locations in Cleburne County – one in Ranburne and one in Heflin. The new building in Heflin will allow HEARTS to relocate out of a three-bedroom house that serves as its current Heflin headquarters.

“The Ranburne location will still house a thrift store and other HEARTS assistance programs that are currently offered,” Mobley said. “The Family Resource Center programs will be offered at the new Heflin location.”

Since the building donation in October 2022, construction crews have worked alongside volunteers to compete renovations, which include a roof replacement, new electrical and plumbing installations, a new HVAC system, new walls for offices and classrooms, and new floors.

The new space for HEARTS of Cleburne will allow the nonprofit to significantly expand services in east Alabama. (contributed)

Additional equipment, including a walk-in refrigerator/freezer, a client bank of computers, and the addition of counseling/training rooms are part of the organization’s vision.

When completed, the building will include a client intake area, a thrift store, a food ministry area, showers for those who are homeless, counseling rooms, and classrooms for GED and job training classes and support groups.

With the new facility in Heflin, HEARTS will be able to expand its programs beyond Cleburne County to residents living in surrounding counties, the organization said. And the organization plans to develop new initiatives to help individuals obtain their GEDs and employment training for a variety of professions, including construction management, allied health professionals, transportation and logistics, web development and information technology, and more.

“We believe programs like workforce development and basic job training will help lessen the trend we are seeing and allow our clients to become more self-sufficient,” Mobley said.