A Day Resource Center can bring together, in one location, a variety of services that help serve unhoused individuals in our community. For 25 years, these services have been provided by a number of agencies in various parts of the city. Having these vital services in a single, easy-to-find location that is also near organizations that provide free meals and low-cost transportation would help to break down barriers for those in search of support and provide opportunities for a better tomorrow.
The concept of a Day Resource Center has been discussed for a few years by community members, non-profit agencies, and the City of Eau Claire. These groups, including Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council, Hope Gospel Mission, the City, Community Haven House, Inc. and many community members have been working together to make the dream of a single, centrally located Day Resource Center a reality. This center will help individuals identify services they’re eligible for and make follow-up easier and more effective. Therapeutic activities and counseling will be offered in addition to employment, housing, and other necessary services. The Day Resource Center would also provide a place for people to go during the day to escape weather extremes in winter and summer.
A work session was held on Monday, March 25, 2024, at the City Council Public Hearing, during which staff presented the work that has been done to date. Partners have spent about ten months looking at locations, existing buildings, and vacant lots. Through the process of viewing locations and discussing the various needs of each agency, it became clear that to be of the greatest efficiency and effectiveness, the Day Resource Center should be centrally located in the downtown Eau Claire area, close to service providers and public transportation. Through this process, one location was identified as having all these qualities – the parking lot at Main and Farwell.
In order to make the Day Resource Center at the corner of Main and Farwell a reality, the municipal lot will need to be declared as excess land, a process that City staff will work on and then bring before the Plan Commission and City Council for recommendation and action. If approved, the next steps include a development agreement with the owning partner, which also requires approval from the City Council. All of these steps allow for public comment, which is welcomed. Partners in the project are working on fundraising strategies with a consultant, and that work will continue during the process of declaring the land excess. There are many steps needed before construction could begin.
Partners working on a Day Resource Center are committed to working with the community. A Day Resource Center would fill a deep need in our community, offering respite and resources that may help the most vulnerable members of Eau Claire by providing a safe place to be during the day and resources that can help move individuals into housing and a brighter future.
Please contact Billie Hufford at billie.hufford@eauclairewi.gov, or 715-839-4903 with any questions.
