RELEASE: Catholic Charities Opens Dorothy Day Place
Media Contacts:
Therese Gales; (612) 221-5161; therese.gales@cctwincities.org
October 23, 2019 – (Saint Paul, Minn.) – On October 23, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis marked the completion of Dorothy Day Place, a two-building campus designed to prevent and end homelessness. The $100 million Dorothy Day Place campus – located in the heart of downtown Saint Paul – is the largest public-private partnership of its kind in state history. Dorothy Day Place offers a new model for addressing homelessness, moving from crisis management to a proven model that links emergency services with resources that can prevent homelessness and lead to stability and opportunity.
“Dorothy Day Place represents a new model for preventing and ending homelessness – integrating dignified emergency shelter, permanent homes and services in one place,” said Tim Marx, president and CEO of Catholic Charities. “The historic public-private partnership behind Dorothy Day Place should serve as inspiration for what can be done to address the housing crisis we face. This is not the end of something – it is just the beginning of a new way of working together to solve our toughest challenges.”
The new Dorothy Day Place campus replaces and expands upon the former Dorothy Day Center, which offered shelter and daytime services to people experiencing homelessness for 36 years. Dorothy Day Place focuses on three components: dignified shelter, permanent homes and dedicated services to help solve homelessness.
• The first phase of this project, Higher Ground Saint Paul, opened in January 2017. It offers more than 500 people experiencing homelessness permanent homes, dignified emergency and transitional shelters, and pathways to opportunities.
• The newly opened Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Saint Paul Opportunity Center and Dorothy Day Residence completes the project and is located across the street from Higher Ground Saint Paul. Dorothy Day Residence provides an additional 177 permanent supportive homes with preference given to the long-term homeless, older youth, and veterans. The Saint Paul Opportunity Center is an integrated, one-stop location connecting people to critical services to improve their health, income, housing stability and well-being. Services will be provided by Catholic Charities and 15 community partner organizations, including Ramsey County, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), Minnesota Community Care and other service providers. The Saint Paul Opportunity Center will officially begin daytime services on Tuesday, October 29.
“Every Minnesotan deserves a safe place to call home,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “Dorothy Day Place is a prime example of the innovation and compassion that is quintessentially Minnesotan, and this new campus will boost its efforts to combat homelessness in our state.”
“Smart, productive measures to combat the affordable housing crisis are needed now more than ever,” said Ramsey County Board of Commissioners Chair Jim McDonough. “The public-private partnership between the county, business leaders and Catholic Charities at Dorothy Day Place provides a creative new way for Ramsey County to deliver critical services to our community.”
“The considerable progress we have made on ending veteran homelessness in Minnesota is evidence of what can be achieved when we focus on a concrete goal,” said Neal Loidolt, president and CEO of Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV). “With preference given to veterans for permanent supportive homes and a Veterans Service HUB on-site, Dorothy Day Place will address the unique needs of veterans experiencing homelessness in a holistic way that many other places cannot.”
The completion of Dorothy Day Place comes at a critical time, as increasing rents, stagnant wages and a lack of affordable housing have contributed to a housing and homelessness crisis. While progress has been made in reducing veteran and family homelessness, the number of unsheltered homeless in the Twin Cities is increasing at a rate that is five times higher than the rest of the country and nearly doubled from 2015 to 2018. This contributed to an increasing number of people sheltering outside in cars, under bridges and in other places not meant for human habitation in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. State projections indicate the number of unsheltered homeless will continue to increase dramatically in the coming year. On a single night in 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that there were 7,243 people without a home or shelter across the state of Minnesota, with 5,062 in the seven-county metro area.
Since the first phase of Dorothy Day Place opened in 2017, the model is already seeing success and is serving as a foundation for new ideas. Community partners have launched initiatives to provide permanent homes to the top users of shelter in Ramsey County and to address the growth of unsheltered homelessness in our community.
“Our future depends on ensuring all of us can access the prosperity our city has to offer,” said Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “Dorothy Day Place helps us realize this vision by connecting people to shelter, support and opportunity.”
Dorothy Day Place: By the Numbers:
All told, Dorothy Day Place will provide services each day to an estimated 1,000 people who have nowhere else to turn, and its impacts will be felt statewide. Over the past two years, it has served residents from 69 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. The campus offers:
I: 726 people with a safe place to sleep each night in the emergency shelter and permanent housing areas.
o Emergency and transitional shelter with semi-private bunk beds for 356 men and women.
o Pay-for-Stay shelter for 54 guests who pay a nominal nightly fee that is deposited into a personal savings account. Residents can use that account to pay rent or a deposit on stable housing.
o Permanent supportive housing for 370 people; veterans receive preference for all housing at Dorothy Day Place.
o The 370 housing units include dedicated housing units for key populations, including veterans (15 units), youth and young adults age 18-24 (11 units), women struggling with severe alcohol and other substance
use disorders (12 units) — and a medical respite wing where individuals experiencing homelessness recover after hospital stays (10 units).
II. Access to daytime services for an estimated 300 people each day. This on-site integration of services will remove barriers for clients, providing them access to services to prevent homelessness and increase stability, and it will significantly enhance the impact of these partner organizations.
o Partner organizations offering services at the Dorothy Day Place include:
Ramsey County adult services, public health, social services, financial assistance services, workforce solutions, veterans services, child support and corrections
Minnesota Community Care
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems
Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV)
People Incorporated
RADIAS Health
University of Minnesota
Avivo
Mile in My Shoes
Open Access Connections
o Key services offered at Dorothy Day Place include:
Physical, mental and chemical health care services, including dental care and podiatry
Employment training programs and job search assistance
Housing search and placement services
Access to veterans’ benefits, SNAP, Medical Assistance and other supports
Financial and legal support services
Nutritious meals, showers, laundry and storage
Wellness and community-building opportunities
A medical respite unit, an innovative partnership with United Hospital (Allina Health), Regions Hospital (HealthPartners) and Saint Joseph’s Hospital (M Health Fairview) that provides rooms, nurse care coordination, medication assistance and behavioral health services to help up to 10 individuals experiencing homelessness recover after hospital stays.
The Private Capital Campaign: $40 Million Raised:
In addition to $60 million contributed by the state of Minnesota, Ramsey County, the city of Saint Paul and other public sources, the Capital Campaign for Dorothy Day Place raised $40 million from private sources. More than 500 individuals and organizations contributed to the Dorothy Day Place private fundraising campaign.
“This $100 million project represents the largest public-private partnership of its kind in state history,” said Doug Baker, Jr., chairman and CEO of Ecolab and co-chair of the Dorothy Day Place Capital Campaign. “Dorothy Day Place offers a new way of working together to recognize the dignity and worth of every person, meeting people where they are and helping them experience the joys and opportunity life has to offer. Our entire community will be stronger because of it.”
The capital campaign was spearheaded by 16 prominent regional business and civic leaders, including co-chairs Doug Baker, Jr., chairman and CEO of Ecolab; Mary Brainerd, former president and CEO of HealthPartners; and Andy Cecere, president and CEO of U.S. Bank. The campaign launched in May 2015 with a $5 million lead challenge grant by Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. Other contributions of $1 million or more include Target ($2 million), 3M; Julie and Doug Baker, Jr. Foundation; The Casale Family; Ecolab Foundation; Frey Foundation of Minnesota; Hardenbergh Foundation; Patrick and Patti McAdaragh; Rory and Rhonda O’Neill; Pohlad Family Foundation; Premier Banks; and U.S. Bank Foundation.
“Dorothy Day Place is an enormous asset to this region, and vital to accomplishing the goal of preventing and ending homelessness,” said Mark Dienhart, president and CEO at the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. “We’re proud to support the critical work of Catholic Charities, and the cross section of community partners whose missions will come to life at Dorothy Day Place.”
History and Project Timeline:
The Dorothy Day Center opened in Saint Paul in 1981 as a drop-in center for meals. Over time, due to increasing homelessness, the center transitioned into an overnight shelter – something it was never designed or intended to do. More than 6,000 people relied on the Dorothy Day Center each year, including hundreds of people who stayed on thin mats on the floor every night. In 2011, for the first time in its history, Catholic Charities was forced to turn people away from the Dorothy Day Center, leading people to camp in the surrounding area. This was a breaking point that launched a community response. In 2012, Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman convened a diverse task force of community leaders to assess the urgent situation of overcrowding at the Dorothy Day Center, and in 2013 the task force issued its recommendation for an innovative new vision to prevent and end homelessness. Dorothy Day Place evolved from this community-driven process.
About Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis:
Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis serves those most in need. Approaching our 150th year of service, we are a critical part of the social and civic infrastructure upon which the community relies to solve poverty, create opportunity and advocate for justice. Our programs for children, families and adults annually help approximately 20,000 people, regardless of faith, background or circumstance. Through our advocacy efforts, Catholic Charities serves as a tireless voice for those who often go unheard. Our work would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers and donors. To learn more about our impact, please visit www.cctwincities.org.
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