New Day Center in Bemidji completes latest renovation, thanks to grant support
The New Day Center in Bemidji recently completed a second phase of renovations, installing a wheelchair lift, new roof, and new parking lot.
The work was funded through a $670,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
The Nameless Coalition, which runs the New Day Center, successfully applied for that grant after Northwest Minnesota Foundation invested $20,000 to provide four nonprofits with expertise to assist in the application process.
“What was unique about this process was that instead of us granting each organization $5,000 to secure their own consultants and expertise, we invested $20,000 to bring together an architect and professional grant-writer to do the work in partnership with all four organizations,” said Cory Boushee, Director of Programs.
Rhonda Conn with Synergy Development Solutions provided grant-writing support and Michael Gordon with EI Consultants provided cost-estimating services.
In addition to the Nameless Coalition, the Red Lake Emergency Shelter, Violence Intervention Project in Thief River Falls, and Evergreen Youth & Family Services in Bemidji worked with the consultants on their own grant applications. The Red Lake shelter’s application was also successful in obtaining grant dollars.
The New Day Center, which first opened in 2022, serves up to 700 unique visitors a year in an 11,000-square-foot facility that was built in the 1970s. Because of its continual use, upwards of $1.4 million has been spent to bring the building to code so it can now serve upwards of 50 people each day.
The center, which is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., provides guests with more than just shelter from the elements. Visitors have access to free laundry services (within established guidelines), warm meals, hot showers, gloves and socks, and more. They are also able to use the center as a mailing address, which is needed to apply for jobs and register to vote.
The center also provides a place where guests can gather together, play cards, and watch television. Not all guests are on-the-street homeless. Some live alone and want the camaraderie. Some might live in substandard housing without heat or working water.
“We’ve built a real community here,” said Reed Olson, the executive director of the Nameless Coalition.
