At a transitional living center like Hope House in Medford, stability and community are everything.

The center’s efforts to establish community, recreation and healthy living have been strengthened after the recent addition of multiple recreational rooms on the Hope House campus.

The Salvation Army Medford Chapter — Hope House’s owner and operator — converted former storage spaces into a computer learning room, a wellness and exercise room, a toddler room, and a family center where residents can watch movies and hang out together.

Hope House received assistance from the Pacific Power Foundation, United Way of Jackson County, the Emerging Leaders organization and others. The Pacific Power Foundation donated three computers for the learning room; United Way and Emerging Leaders painted and purchased desks and other furniture for the new rooms.

“One hundred percent of this was first made possible because of the voice shared by the participants needing it and because of the heart of the staff,” said Sharre Whitson, director of development for the Salvation Army Medford Chapter, adding her gratitude for the organizations that lent a helping hand.

Locals Marilyn and John Duke donated sheds to Hope House to assist with storage.

“We are so grateful to our community,” Whitson said.

Staff at Hope House believe the new rooms will help residents adjust and form new, healthy routines after their traumatic experiences living on the streets.

“Being able to go walk on the treadmill is important with a lot of our participants,” Hope House Operations Manager Jessica Espinoza said.

Beyond building healthy routines with the wellness room, the computer room will assist all residents, young and old.

“Not only is the computer lab for children, but it’s also for our adults to be able to look for daycare, to look for jobs, to look for housing, to build their résumé,” Espinoza said.

Ariel Huffman, a Hope House resident, said the toddler room — where her 2-year-old son, Hunter Vega, plays — provides the “biggest peace” for participants like them.

“Hunter loves that the toddler room is all his size,” Huffman said.

Hundreds of families and individuals come to Hope House each year seeking stability and a second chance at gaining employment and securing a healthy life.

The center opened in 1996 and assists residents with finding jobs, learning valuable life skills such as housekeeping and setting up a savings account, and eventually finding long-term housing while living in a drug- and alcohol-free environment.

Hope House is among the few transitional living centers that accommodate families and support animals. It provides each resident with a 24/7 case-management and support-services employee.

“We create the environment and the resources for them to thrive,” said Major Jonnette Mulch, The Salvation Army’s Jackson County coordinator and Corps Officer.

Huffman, who moved to Hope House with her partner and toddler in April, has since gotten a full-time job and savings account while learning life skills to use after they move on.

“The Hope House was the only option for us to stay as a family … we were in a tent out on the (Bear Creek) Greenway,” Huffman said.

Hope House is a big part of where she and her family are today, she said. On March 2, “we’ll have one year clean.”

Huffman was recently promoted at her job to shift manager.

“For me, the structure and the stability and the consistency with the Hope House is what I needed — that was exactly what I needed,” Huffman said. “If it wasn’t for the Hope House, I don’t think my son would be home.”

Hope House will have a ribbon cutting and grand opening for the new recreation center from 10 to 10:30 a.m. March 7, at the campus, located at 1065 Crews Road, Medford.

To learn more, visit jacksoncounty.salvationarmy.org/medford/hope-house.