Earlier today, August 22, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” traveled to Lewes, Delaware to surprise the Dunning family with the door knock that can change lives. Dale Dunning founded “Jusst Sooup” while she was in college. She started off with a crock-pot and a hot plate, making soup for her classmates after theology class. Today Dale, along with husband Ken and son Brooks, wakes up at 2:00 a.m. every day to provide meals at 17 soup kitchens for those in need across the state of Delaware.
The Dunning family has firsthand knowledge of what it means to be down on your luck, having lost their home to foreclosure. They’ve since been living in a rental home that is basically a converted storage facility for “Jusst Sooup.” They store massive amounts of food, and their small home can’t contain it all. Their dream is to create the “Jusst Sooup Ranch,” which would be a house the Dunnings could move into and where they could run a large-scale kitchen to feed needy families across the state. It would also be a place that provides shelter, food and support for families in need, helping these families get back on their feet and enabling them to then invite other families to take their place in micro-homes on the property. Dale envisions “Jusst Sooup Ranch” having a garden, crops and a small farm to provide food for their soup kitchen.
They’ve since been living in a rental home that is basically a converted storage facility for “Jusst Sooup.” They store massive amounts of food, and their small home can’t contain it all. Their dream is to create the “Jusst Sooup Ranch,” which would be a house the Dunnings could move into and where they could run a large-scale kitchen to feed needy families across the state. It would also be a place that provides shelter, food and support for families in need, helping these families get back on their feet and enabling them to then invite other families to take their place in micro-homes on the property. Dale envisions “Jusst Sooup Ranch” having a garden, crops and a small farm to provide food for their soup kitchen.
The “EM:HE” design team has just seven days to build a brand new home for the Dunning family, one that provides a living area for the family, storage for food and supplies and land for expanding and realizing their dream of supporting multiple families. The Dunning family has been whisked away on a dream vacation, while “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team leader Ty Pennington, designers Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney, Sabrina Soto, John Littlefield and local builders Schell Brothers, as well as community volunteers, build the structure.
The build location is 28628 US Highway 9, Milton, Delaware.
The series is produced by Endemol USA, of Endemol Holding, and executive-produced by Brady Connell & George Verschoor. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America.