Paying It Forward: ‘Fixer Upper’ Stars Renovate Emergency Girls’ Shelter

Kicking off their brand-new season of Fixer Upper, beloved and quirky Chip and Joanna Gaines give back to their Texas community by remodeling a local girls’ emergency shelter.

.@chipgaines and @joannagaines were honored to help transform a local girls’ emergency shelter into a space made for comfort + community. Watch the full reveal—now available on @discoveryplus. #MagnoliaNetwork #FixerUpperWelcomeHome pic.twitter.com/FYQZryld7g

— Magnolia Network (@magnolianetwork) February 23, 2021

The husband and wife duo are no strangers to acts of kindness and paying it forward, and yet this house flip is set to have long-term benefits.

Their “special mission” created a sense of community and home for the “strong” girls at the shelter, giving them a place to be the world changers Joanna knows they can be.

There are some projects that sit in Chip + Jo’s hearts long after the reveal, and this is one of them. Watch episode 4 of #FixerUpperWelcomeHome on @discoveryplus—more episodes coming this July! pic.twitter.com/aHw9XKAlul

— Magnolia Network (@magnolianetwork) February 19, 2021

“This story will always have a special place in our hearts,” Joanna writes in an Instagram post, saying she is “so proud of this community of women.”

The 3,900-square-foot space has seven bedrooms, three full bathrooms and three half bathrooms, Insider reports. The renovation was an extended family affair—with the helping hands of Joanna’s sister Jenny, who volunteers at the shelter; Barbara, who runs the shelter and Trasha, a former resident of the shelter who now works there.

Barbara said the mission of the shelter is to “give each girl a chance to succeed.”

The full renovation, photos of which can be viewed on the Magnolia Network blog, allows the girls fleeing from often dangerous situations to feel at home in their temporary residence. The Gaineses say they put a lot of thought into “finding ways to make this facility feel safe” for the residents and to “serve as a haven.”

The surrounding community rallied around the project and helped to fund the renovation with both financial and practical resources.

Fixer Upper fans were initially elated when the couple announced the hit former-HGTV show was returning, with its upbeat, family-friendly content and its roots in biblical values. Since the announcement the show would be streaming on discovery+ before moving to the Magnolia Network, viewers expressed frustration that the show would require a subscription fee to watch.

And yet it seems this most recent act of generosity has inspired others to do what they can to help in times of need.

One Instagram follower commented, “This was so so special. You inspired me to dream and plan to do something similar for a homeless transition ministry here in Lubbock. Mostly single moms from bad situations, when we volunteer there, it just doesn’t feel like home… we’ll see what we can do!”

Another Facebook user shared how they were inspired: “This was an inspiring episode, so much so that we’re now looking into how to help with a shelter that’s being renovated in our area! Thanks for showing up and being all in.” {eoa}

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.