New Project At Temecula's Jacob's House Is A Sweet Tearjerker

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula’s Jacob’s House has been helping traumatized families for seven years, and once again the community has stepped up to help the charitable organization.

The home, which opened in late 2013 at 31525 Jedediah Smith Road, serves as a refuge for families whose loved ones are hospitalized with serious illness or injury. The distraught families, sometimes in shock, are referred to the home by nurses, social workers, case managers, and doctors who work at local hospitals.

The 3,800-square-foot, single-story home situated on 2.3 acres offers free accommodations (donations are accepted) and is less than a mile from Temecula Valley Hospital. To date, more than 1,000 people have been welcomed into the house, where each room is named in honor of a young person who has passed.

The home itself is dedicated to Jacob A. Nelson, who died in a 2006 vehicle crash on Interstate 15, just south of Temecula. He was 24. The tragedy was unbearable for Jacob’s family, including his father, Shawn, who served as Temecula City Manager at the time and, through his grief, came to found Jacob’s House.

The Jacob’s House mission — to serve any family in need — is fueled by community donations. The money keeps the lights on. So when the nonprofit’s board of directors decided earlier this year to investigate solar panels to save money on monthly utility bills, the savings made sense but the initial financial outlay was daunting.

“It was going to cost approximately $32,000,” said Richard Valdez, who serves on the Jacob’s House board.

Like many things in Temecula, however, the community stepped in to help. Jared Slusser, owner of Temecula-based Transform Power, offered to donate labor on the project, which was valued at about $12,000, Valdez said. Nearby contractors kicked in about $7,000 worth of goods and services: CED Greentech San Diego sold materials to Jabob’s House at a large discount. Locally owned E-fficient Solar Design drew up the plans at no charge, and Torrance’s Loyd W. Martin Professional Engineer Inc. provided the structural calculations at no cost. Macy’s and Best Buy also awarded grants to Jacob’s House for the project.

The local chapter of 100+ Women Who Care — spearheaded by Tracy Steffen — jumped in too. “Each one of the 52 Temecula Valley members gave us a check for $100,” Valdez said. “It was so sweet.”

Still, with all the community outpouring, the Jacob’s House solar project was short several thousand dollars.

Then one day, the endearing side of social media showed up: A local resident who saw a Facebook post about the 100+ Women Who Care donations offered to make up the shortfall.

“He started crying when he read the post,” Valdez explained.

The donor, who asked to remain anonymous, gifted the money in honor of his daughter who would have turned 30 in 2020.

She didn’t live to see her third decade, but the father-to-daughter tribute seemed the perfect birthday gift.

“I always thought she would light up the world,” the anonymous donor told Valdez.

A private message from the man to his child will be etched on the panels — the words pointing skyward will read, “Bringing light to so many.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled in early February to "flip the switch" and celebrate the new solar panels. Anyone interested in reading about Jacob’s House or making a donation can learn more here.