Timeline
1981
Dorothy Day Center opens
The Dorothy Day Center opens in downtown St. Paul serving coffee and rolls to an estimated 50 men daily, with no overnight shelter
1999
Overnight shelter opens
Transforms into an overnight shelter to protect the homeless during brutal winter nights
2001
Year-round shelter
The community calls upon Catholic Charities to provide shelter to individuals year-round
2005
Evening detox opens
An evening detox program is created, saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars
2007
Shelter for women opens
The only shelter for single women in Ramsey County is added. Catholic Charities re-designates a second floor storage area, creating 42 beds for women
2010
Emergency overflow opens
Emergency overflow shelter is added at the Catholic Charities office space next door to Dorothy Day to accommodate still greater need
2011
Surpasses capacity
For the first time ever, the number of people needing shelter at Dorothy Day Center surpasses capacity, turning people away. St. Paul Office Overflow opens in November, increasing capacity to 50 mats
2013
More than 250 seek overnight shelter
Serving an average of 440 persons each day, the need for overnight shelter has risen to 250 per night, beyond the capacity of the current building
2015
Higher Ground Saint Paul building construction begins
2017
Higher Ground Saint Paul building opens
2017
Medical Respite Unit Opens
16-bed medical respite unit provides care for individuals too ill or frail to recover on the streets, but who do not require hospital-based care.
2017
Capital Campaign completed
$5 million grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and $35 million in donations from individuals and institutions.
2017
Dorothy Day Center building demolished
Construction workers began demolishing the Dorothy Day Center to pave the way for the new Opportunity Center and Dorothy Day Residence.
2017
Saint Paul Opportunity Center and Dorothy Day Residence building construction begins
Will include services to prevent and end homelessness and offer 177 permanent housing units.
2019
Saint Paul Opportunity Center and Dorothy Day Residence building opens