Snow fell and the doors stayed open — daytime services at Catholic Charities Twin Cities’ St. Paul Opportunity Center in St. Paul continued overnight to provide those experiencing homelessness respite from this week’s snowstorm.
The doors of the St. Paul Opportunity Center opened at 9 a.m. Feb. 23. The center will have been open 36 straight hours by 9 p.m. Feb. 24. Staff at the center are providing hot meals, showers and shelter from the storm.
According to Michael Goar, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Twin Cities, the nonprofit organization is the only provider in the Twin Cities of both overnight and daytime services, which include those mentioned above as well as laundry services and storage lockers.
In a statement, Goar expressed his gratitude to “the dedicated Catholic Charities team,” to staff who “came together to keep our St. Paul Opportunity Center open overnight — going on 36 hours straight — to support our unsheltered community during the worst of it. I am so proud of this skilled team, many of whom worked around the clock, to support our most vulnerable neighbors.”
The Twin Cities metro is facing the effects of the snowstorm. In an updated forecast, the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities reported 13.1 inches of snow had fallen at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport since Tuesday, pushing the 2022-2023 winter season to the 17th-snowiest on record. A blizzard warning was in effect Wednesday into Thursday for several counties in western and central Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported cleanup efforts are underway; many roads remain snow-covered. Some roads in southwest parts of the state were closed as of Thursday and several highways in south-central Minnesota remained under a “no travel advisory.” Meanwhile, the Minnesota State Patrol reported that during a 12-hour span Wednesday into Thursday, there were 36 crashes statewide and 107 vehicle spinouts. None of those crashes or spinouts were fatal or caused injuries, the state patrol reported. Metro Transit canceled trips and bus delays were reported.
As the shoveling out begins, Goar asked Twin Cities community members to consider how these storms affect those experiencing homelessness or those without access to hot meals, showers and shelter. “We ask our community to please support this life-saving work” through donations, advocacy or volunteering.
Minneapolis-based Catholic Charities Twin Cities programs assist more than 20,000 people per year, including 10,000 who seek support at the nonprofit’s four emergency shelters and two day centers. The St. Paul Opportunity Center offers meals, shelter, employment, housing resources, and medical care, among other services. Learn more about the nonprofit organization here: cctwincities.org
