Church plans to evict adult daycare center
An adult daycare program operated by the Friends Health Care Team at Calvary Church in Annandale is being threatened with the possibility of eviction months before its lease is scheduled to expire.
Rebecca Cho, Friends Health Care Team administrator, is worried that her clients will have nowhere to go. Friends Health Care Team is in the process of purchasing a new building in Fairfax but it won’t be ready for at least a year.
Meanwhile, she is trying to locate a building to continue the program but most likely they will still have to go through rezoning special exception and permit processes which takes nine to 12 months. They will have to renovate the space to comply with ADA and other regulations.
Friends Health Care Team has run an adult health daycare program for people with cognitive deficits such as dementia and/or physical ailments at the church, at 8220 Little River Turnpike, since 2018. The program serves about 80 clients, most of them Korean Americans, five to six days a week. It provides medical services, physical activities, and social interactions.
Related story: Planning committee approves adult daycare center in Annandale church
Friends Health Care Team’s lease expires on Oct. 31, 2023. After the church brought in a new pastor, Matt Ryba, just before the pandemic, he decided to use an opt-out option in the lease that permits both parties to end the lease in six months with notification.
Ryba informed Cho last January that Calvary’s board approved a motion calling for Friends Health Care to vacate its space at the church by July 29.
On July 26, Calvary’s attorney advised Cho that the adult daycare center can stay beyond that date until there’s a court decision on the proposed eviction.
When the lease was approved by former pastor James Heyward, “we were having a wonderful relationship with Calvary Church. We didn’t think anyone would exercise the opt out,” Cho said.
Ryba has refused her requests for a meeting and hasn’t explained the reason for the eviction. Cho has spent the last few months trying to get a straight answer from the church about why they have to leave early. She has been trying to negotiate with church leaders and has even offered to donate a large sum to Calvary.
Annandale Today reached out to Ryba to get the church’s perspective on the issue. He responded by email: “Out of respect for Friends Health Care, we are not going to comment publicly, thank you.”
The adult daycare center is open Mondays through Fridays, even on holidays. Cho acknowledges that there has been some wear and tear on the kitchen area, as clients are served breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
She has asked numerous times whether Friends Health Care Team needs to fix anything in the building, but hasn’t gotten an answer.
The clients, mostly lower-income people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, can’t be left alone because they are experiencing memory loss or have severe health conditions, Cho said. Their participation at the center is mostly paid by Medicaid.
The center offers bingo every day with essential household items as prizes. There are also Bible studies, senior exercises, arts and crafts, karaoke, current events discussions, and birthday parties.
Friends Health Care Team provides transportation to and from the center and takes the participants shopping and to medical appointments.
Cho’s mother is one of the clients. “She used to be depressed. When she started to come, she became much happier and more focused.”
Now that the program has been ordered to vacate the church without being given enough time to move,“it is like an order to shut down,” Cho said. “I’m really desperate, We deserve a logical explanation.”
9 responses to “Church plans to evict adult daycare center”
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Unfortunately this is what can happen when church leaders of all faiths forget who they have pledged to serve…..
The church has followed the contract to the T. There is much to say as to why the church had to take this step…but it is not my place to say. All I do know is that the church is within the contract guidelines to terminate the contract.
Until the public knows the reason a lot of people may think it is another example of hatred and racism directed at the Korean community. It would be in the best interest of everyone to give a plausible reason for the eviction.
Is there vacant office space available in the area? Guess the retrofit problem would exist wherever they went. Did the church get an offer for more money from a less problematic group? Is exorbitant liability insurance a problem? Was there an incident with one or more of the seniors? Hope there’s an explanation forthcoming as this makes the church look bad.
Why?? Are they licensed, were they cited for noncompliance, what is the real reason? I am sure there must be a good reason or why else would the Church take this step. Please tell us the REASON!
Calvary has been plagued with problems for years. They brought in a new pastor who doesn’t like the use of the space (and there might be a racist element here). The group has offered to donate money, help the church, etc.
The church should offer them a year, so they can move into their new space. Transitions are tough for those with dementia, so the fewer changes the better. That would be the “Christian” thing to do here. But we are talking a for profit entity.
The Sr. Day Care Team should take non-Korean members to take care???
Interesting how people have opinions without having facts . If you know anything about Calvary Church you know it is not racist. If you know anything about Calvary Church you know there was a valid reason to call in this lease. If you know anything about Calvary Church, you will know that the leadership is not going to get in a verbal fight that could be embarrassing to the other party. If you don’t know anything about Calvary Church… You should visit. You will be delighted.
A pastor should be able to make a concise, tactfully vague statement that doesn’t place blame.
“If you know anything…if you know anything…if you know anything…”
All we know is that the church isn’t even going to pretend they have a reason to kick out some of the neediest people in the community. The longer you carry on in absolute silence, the more you look as if you have something to hide, even if you don’t. It’s neither welcoming nor “delightful.”