Dorothy Day Center marks 25 years

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Homeless center still working to put itself out of business.

Take I-94's 5th Street exit into downtown St. Paul around dinnertime, and you'll see a major contrast. Ahead and to the right is a thriving convention center and business and restaurant district -- the very place where the Republican National Convention will be held in 2008. To the left is the Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Center, where dozens of homeless people line up each day for a hot meal and other survival services.

Over the years, as improvements were made to the area, some tried to move the center from that highly visible spot. As one supporter said, it has been expanded, contracted, relocated, burned down, built up, cursed, threatened and graced by generosity. Yet it has prevailed and grown -- and along the way has proven to be a good, well-operated neighbor.

Recently, the center marked its 25th anniversary. While sponsors are proud of their accomplishments, they are also discouraged by the fact that they are still needed. As the Rev. John Estrem, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities, pointed out, the center opened in 1981 as a temporary measure to address what was then thought to be a "passing trend of homelessness."

Yet from those days of serving a few dozen cups of coffee to unemployed men downtown, the ranks of the homeless have swelled to include women and families.

Dorothy Day is now an agency that serves up to 750 people daily. In addition to serving meals, the center has a food shelf, a job resource center, referral and advocacy services and triage medical care. Every evening, an average of 175 people spend the night there.

Without its devoted force of volunteers, the center couldn't make it. Belt-tightening has meant that full-time staffing is thinner than it should be to serve so many.

More than half of what it takes to run the organization comes from contributions, including gifts from foundations, corporations and individuals. That's why the center needs continued, expanded community support from both donors and volunteers. With more resources, center staff can move more clients to self-sufficiency -- and come closer to putting itself out of business. StarTribune