ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- A local charity on Wednesday broke ground in an effort to lend a helping hand to a St. Johns County family of eight that has been dealing with some difficult times.

For years the Goodalls have been living in a three-bedroom home, and the father of the house is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Builders Care, a nonprofit division of the Northeast Florida Builders Association, recently stepped in to offer help in the form of expanding the Goodalls' home and give them a little more space.

Karen Goodall said she is grateful for the group's help as dozens of volunteers came to her home just off state Road 16 on Wednesday morning.

She said husband, Kenny, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease two years ago at about the same time she found out she was pregnant with the couple's sixth child.

Now, her husband cannot speak, can barely move, and is in a wheelchair, completely dependent on his family for care.

"We've had good days and bad days. But we've had many, many more good days," Goodall said. "We'd been praying for a house for probably six years now."

That's when Builders Care entered their lives. The group found the Goodalls through a private nurse hired to help care for the father.

"This is a very spiritual family. They have very deep faith. They're dealing with tragedy in their own lives," said Chris Simons of Builders Care.

The nonprofit group has already begun laying the concrete at the Goodall house, which is the first step in expanding the house from three bedrooms to five bedrooms.

Builder's Care told Channel 4 the whole project should take about 10 days, seemingly no time at all compared to the Goodalls' years of waiting.

"We know the Lord answers prayers three different ways -- no, yes and wait. He's been telling us to wait, and obviously this is why," Goodall said.

After 10 days, the Goodalls' prayers will be answered and the family will be able to move into their newly expanded home.

"It's hard to imagine just how I'm going to feel, but I'm sure it'll be terrific," Goodall said.

For more on the Goodall's touching story or for more information on Builders Care, visit BuildersCare.org.