Before Jaime Lopez moved into Terry's House last November, he was sleeping in his car. His wife, Jacqueline, had emergency heart surgery causing her to deliver her second daughter three months early. Jaime had to leave his four-year-old daughter Julieana in Porterville while he drove to Fresno to see his wife.
"One of the social workers said 'hey, we have a place to stay across the street for families who come from faraway,' and I said 'what do you mean?' and she said they don't ask for you to rent it like a motel room, they ask for donations," said Jaime Lopez.
Lopez is just one of 1,900 guests who have stayed at Terry's House during it's first year of operation. Its 20 rooms have stayed full with guests from 25 of the 50 united states and three foreign countries -- Germany, England and Mexico.
Terry's House operates with private donations, and those who stay here pay what they can. They have use of a fully equipped kitchen, laundry room, exercise room, and quiet room.
"The families that come here, they help me a lot. When things go bad, they're here to comfort one another. There's a reflection room for thinking. It's been really great. It's nice," said Lopez.
Jaime and his wife and daughter hope to take their new baby home from the hospital in a couple of weeks, and when they do, there will no doubt be another family waiting for a room at Terry's House.
