The Crookston Care & Share has a new men’s dorm in its facility set to open this week. Care & Share staff along with members of the Lions gave guided tours of the facility and the new eight-bed dorm to members of the community. The Lions also provided residents and guests with a free meal at the Downtown Square.
The Care and Share utilizes the old Catholic school building and Tom Anderson from the Lions described the process of making the space livable. “We started with a large classroom and had to do a lot to clean like get the slate black boards and shelving off the walls,” said Anderson. “We ended up with a very well-lit room with eight beds in it. There is more of a need for the homeless then we had a capacity to meet and we’re now able to serve that population.”
The Care & Share opened in 1986 and assists homeless men, women and families in the Crookston area. The project got its start with a donation from the Lions Club. Several members then made personal donations or provided other assistance as did several other businesses in the community including Northern Lumber, Hardware Hank, Gary Willhite, American Crystal Sugar, John Vik, Thrivent Financial and the Department of Human Services. Efforts are now in the works to open a bathroom next to the new dorm.
Lions members give a tour of the new eight bed dorm at the Care and Share
