The Care and Share in Crookston is a homeless shelter serving Crookston and the area. Crookston Care and Share serve males, females, and families. The old catholic school building is the shelter for men and women, and the rectory has been converted into a shelter for entire families.
HOPE CENTER PROJECT
There are six units in the Hope Center, four of which are completed. “We still have two units we’re holding off on,” said Jane Freeman, the Executive Director of Care and Share. “If we have an emergency, we use the other units. If a family comes, we can’t wait for a room to be completed. We’re almost done but have a couple more to go.” Care and Share are complete, except for one family room, including the Hope Center.
The first part of the housing process includes Care and Share, asking for proper identification from applicants. The process will be delayed if the applicant cannot present that information. “To be eligible for these housing programs, you must prove you are a U.S. citizen. When you get approved for housing assistance, that’s a big step,” said Freeman. Once the applicant is approved, a background check is required.
GRANTS AND LOCAL DONATIONS
The Care and Share receives local donations and grants. The largest operating budget comes from the state of Minnesota, which has recently added funds for homeless programs. “We’re pretty excited about that because that means we will get some additional funding,” said Freeman. “At Care and Share, we’ve prioritized that more money will go toward security personnel.” Care and Share are now looking for security help, this is a night shift position, and a background check is required.
The Target Wishlist is listed on the Crookston Care and Share website. This is an item list where every item gets delivered from a Target store directly to Crookston Care and Share. Popular items include underwear, hygiene products, and diapers.
FOOD SHELF UPDATE/DONATION ROOM
The Crookston food shelf is now open Monday and Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This is available to the public. “What we ask is you fill out a form that verifies your income and lets us know you are in the area,” said Freeman, “we have to report how many people have been to the food bank, how many family members were included, and pounds of food taken out.” In the past four months, the food shelf has recorded over 8,000 pounds of food distributed in a single month twice.
Care and Share have the donation room available. Typically, clothes and shoes are donated, and furniture donations are encouraged. There is no charge for items that are taken from the donation room.
FREEMAN IS RETIRING AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CARE AND SHARE
Freeman announced retiring as Executive Director of Care and Share. “This is one of the most fun and exciting give-back jobs I’ve ever had,” said Freeman. “I want to say we are actively seeking a new Executive Director.” If you are interested in the position, Care and Share, prefer if you apply on INDEED.
For more information on Care and Share, visit careandsharecrookston.org.
