[Mpls] Homeless during the day

[wendy]

I am forwarding this reply I received offlist, with permission,   because I felt it was informative and helpful.   Wendy Adamson Seward   Wendy.  I am an Aide for County Commissioner Gail Dorfman and I previously worked for several years at St. Stephen's Shelter in Minneapolis.  I saw your inquiry and would like to respond.  There are two day shelters in Minneapolis for men and women that are working 3rd shift jobs:  Simpson Shelter at 28th St. and 1st Ave. S. and the House of Charity in downtown Minneapolis.  For those not working third shift jobs, there are a couple of drop in places where folks can keep warm, get resources, and eat meals.  Branch III, run by Catholic Charities, is on 17th and Chicago and is open from 7-3 Monday through Friday and 7-2 on Sundays.  They serve lunch everyday but Saturday.  Branch III is similar to Dorothy Day in St. Paul.  The Peace House on Franklin Avenue is another gathering place with lunch Monday-Friday. Due to zoning codes, shelters are not allowed to remain open 24 hours.  People must leave the shelters usually by 7 or 8 AM.  You are right to be concerned.  Perhaps even more concerning is that there is not enough shelter for everyone in the evenings when temperatures are at their worst and there is no where to get out of the cold.  Families are currently being sheltered, but between 500-800 single adults are sleeping outside every night in Minneapolis.  I still work as a volunteer at St. Stephen's Shelter at 22nd and Clinton Ave., and when I was there last Wednesday night we turned away 40 men because all of our beds were full.   Thanks for your interest and concern. Cathy ten Broeke Aide to Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman 3rd District 612-348-4304