Brainerd's Bridge on 7th Shelter Hosts Over 100 Guests During Its 1st Summer | Lakeland News

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Brainerd's Bridge on 7th Overnight Shelter marked its inaugural summer of operation from May 1st to July 31st following approval by the Brainerd City Council to function year-round. During this first season, the facility hosted over 100 guests, with 86 individuals successfully transitioning out of the program while 25 remained enrolled at the end of the period. The shelter's primary mission is clear: it serves as a temporary stop rather than a long-term residence, aiming to help people move quickly into stable housing, access necessary treatments, or reconnect with family and friends. To ensure guests do not become dependent on the facility, every individual staying at the shelter signs an agreement to participate in a pathway plan that maintains their connection to community resources. Staff members have identified fostering a sense of belonging within the community as a critical area for focus, noting that when guests feel connected and their mental well-being is supported, they are able to "hit the ground running" toward stability. Monitoring data from the summer revealed that 51 of the 111 guests stayed for a week or less, while others remained for up to two months, with the county accounting for the largest portion of residents at an estimated 63%. The shelter's ability to operate continuously relies heavily on strong partnerships with local organizations such as Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen, Lighthouse Beginnings, and the My Neighbor to Love Coalition. These collaborations are essential for providing a safe and warm place to sleep while facilitating access to other vital services that lead to long-term stability. By solidifying these relationships with various community agencies, the shelter hopes to maximize its impact and better assist those in need. Since its founding in 2021, the organization has expressed gratitude to the community and its partners for helping support over 500 individuals throughout its history.

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The Bridge on 7th Overnight Shelter in Brainerd was open for the summer for the first time this year after being approved by the Brainerd City Council earlier this year to operate year round. Our reporter Xavier Curry has more. >> Over the shelter's first summer of operation from May 1st to July 31st, the shelter saw over 100 guests with 86 of them leaving the shelter's program and 25 still currently being enrolled. >> One of the biggest things about our shelter is much as we're here to help. This is not a place to live. It's just a bump in the road. So, we're really really focusing on how we can help people get out of our shelter as soon as possible into places where they need to go whether that be treatments, their own house, getting reconnected with their family, friends, that kind of thing. >> Guests before staying at the shelter signed an agreement to participate in a pathway plan that keeps them connected with community resources. >> One of the biggest areas I've realized that we need to focus on for our shelter is helping our guests feel connected to our community. With us being an overnight shelter only, it's very hard for us to get them in touch with resources while they're here. And when we focus on their mental well-being and they're connected, they hit the ground running. >> One thing staff monitored over the summer was whether the year-round operations would lead to longer stays at the shelter. Of the 111 guests that stayed at the shelter this past summer, 51 of them stayed for a week or less with the rest ranging from a week to 2 months. County saw the biggest amount of guests staying at the shelter with an estimated 63%. >> I think it's really showing that, you know, we are just kind of a temporary stop for a lot of guests giving them a safe and warm place to sleep while they, you know, get connected to other resources and on to a path of stability. We have great relationships with a lot of community agencies. I think just really focusing on solidifying those partnerships so we can have a better impact and really help our guests at the shelter. >> The shelter wants to thank the community and its partners for helping them support over 500 plus individuals since the founding of the shelter in 2021. Reporting in Brainerd, I'm Xavier Curry, Lakeland News. >> The shelter was able to operate year-round through partnerships with local organizations like Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen, Lighthouse Beginnings, and the My Neighbor to Love Coalition. >> Lakeland News is a non-profit news organization. Donate to Lakeland PBS today to support your local news team.