This is part of a series highlighting MCN members across the state, featuring a vast array of nonprofit focus areas, and celebrating the myriad ways nonprofits enrich lives.
Many people assume that small towns don’t struggle with homelessness, oftentimes simply because homelessness is less visible in these rural areas. It tends to look more like couch hopping, rather than sleeping on the streets, but the impacts are still just as real. MCN member Oasis Central Minnesota, located in Little Falls, provides emergency housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and they witness the impacts of unstable housing firsthand.
Since 1989, Oasis has focused on food and housing in Little Falls, operating an emergency shelter as well as providing rental assistance and eviction prevention. They also run the Picnic Pals program which provides lunches to children during the summer months when families can’t rely on free school lunches. Program Director Nina Lange recently reached out to a mom who had been participating in the program to see if she would like to register for the coming week. “And she said, ‘Well, actually, you know what? We’re doing so well now, and [Picnic Pals] helped so much that we don’t even need that anymore.’” For the Oasis team, that’s a success—when their services are no longer needed after helping community members get back on their feet.
Historically, Oasis housed patrons in a local motel, but as need expanded, staff came up with the creative solution of renting a duplex where families could stay for 90 days at a time. In the new space, families could now cook in their own kitchen, have more privacy, and have access to a backyard, giving them space to get back on their feet. Describing the duplex, Executive Director Rose Surma said, “It just feels like so much homier. These kids are in a difficult situation, and we’ll bring them over to that duplex and they’ll be excited like, ‘Oh, look at the bedroom I’m in, and look, there’s a yard!’”
Oasis recently received a grant from the state of Minnesota to purchase the duplex and make renovations. They plan to rebuild the current duplex to suit their specific needs, expanding the space and customizing the layout so that it accommodates their residents.
Challenges, of course, remain. Need continues to increase, especially in the summer months, and operating in a small town means limited transportation and access to health care for their clients. For the Oasis team, success is more than just housing someone for the night; it’s seeing a former client back on their feet and no longer needing their services. Oasis is able to make this happen through a dedicated team and partnerships that connect across the whole community, whether it’s the police department or the local grocery store. They are bringing hope and stability to Little Falls, one meal and one bed at a time.