Our History

In Spring of 2007, Peter Connor the  former Mayor of Owatonna called local leaders together as group to discuss homelessness in Owatonna after seeing a former student of his living homeless in Dartt's Park. They found that on average 200-300 were homeless on any given night. This number was increased to over 500 homeless individuals in 2024.

​

In 2008 a member of the group offered a facility he had purchased for the group’s use, as a rental.  The property, located on State Avenue, Owatonna, was a former cottage of the “State School.”  It was outfitted with donated furnishings and the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer were stocked with donated food, both canned goods and perishables, from supportive people, including restaurants and grocery outlets.  The House was able to accommodate five men, but during the Winter months, that number could swell to a dozen.  We crossed our fingers that no disaster would befall the structure as egress from the basement was but from a single stairwell.  But, we had a place to call home – which, by the way, was what we decided to call our facility.  As our guests had their own beds, had an address to use for job applications, etc., lived in community with other homeless men, a homelike atmosphere was created – far different from what might be seen as a ‘homeless shelter.’