New Homeless Shelter in Bena Prepares To Help Families | Lakeland News
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A new homeless shelter known as Two Sisters Lodge, operated by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Bena, is nearing completion and preparing to serve families facing housing instability. Designed specifically as a family-focused environment, the facility prioritizes stability and support for individuals navigating difficult times. The interior layout reflects this compassionate approach, featuring wide hallways, spacious living areas, and larger bedrooms that are intentionally designed to reduce stress and make the transition into the shelter as comfortable as possible for those arriving from the streets.
Upon arrival, families will not be immediately overwhelmed with a list of demanding tasks but will instead be given time to settle in, catch their breath, and acclimate to the new space before beginning formal case planning. This phased approach allows residents to release the pent-up energy and trauma they have been carrying while staff work to set initial goals. The current shelter at the location is already operating at full capacity with approximately 34 beds, so this new addition with 62 beds will provide significantly more room and resources, allowing families currently housed elsewhere to move in within the next week.
The ultimate goal of Two Sisters Lodge extends beyond simply providing a place to sleep; it aims to offer a clear path toward permanent housing for its residents. Success for the staff will not be measured merely by the number of families who pass through the doors, but by whether the support provided helps them regain stability and secure their own homes. The ideal outcome envisions the building remaining filled with the laughter of children, indicating that families are not only housed but are thriving in a safe environment where they can rebuild their lives.
As finishing touches are completed, including the installation of appliances in an immaculate kitchen, the facility is expected to be fully furnished and ready for occupancy by the end of next week. This new development addresses the urgent need for expanded capacity in the region, ensuring that families have access to essential services and a supportive community. With the construction phase concluding, the focus now shifts entirely to welcoming these families into their new home and helping them achieve long-term independence and security.
Read the full video transcript
A new shelter in Bena is nearly ready to
begin serving families facing
homelessness. Reporter Ryan Fleming
shows us what the new facility will
offer.
>> Two Sisters Lodge from the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe has been designed as a
family-focused space, offering support
and stability to people going through a
difficult time.
>> Everything in here was, you know, nice
wide hallways, you know, big living room
spaces, bigger bedrooms.
You know, everything from, you know,
where the outlets are located, you know,
um
it was all designed to make it easier as
easy as possible for people to just come
here,
you know, um kind of release the
stresses of of
everything that comes with being
homeless.
>> When families first arrive, the priority
isn't immediately handing them a long
list of pressuring things to do. The
first step is giving them time to settle
in, catch their breath, and begin
figuring out what comes next.
>> We'll intake, um set some goals, you
know, um we don't necessarily expect
them to
really actually start working their case
plan, you know, for the first couple
weeks. We kind of offer them,
you know, just an opportunity to get
acclimated to the um space, you know,
kind of just like I said, release some
of that energy that they've been
carrying.
>> The demand is already clear. The Leech
Lake Band's existing homeless shelter in
Bena is already stretched to the limit,
and this new facility is expected to
give families far more room and support.
>> This new shelter has 62 beds, nearly all
reserved for families. The goal is to
give them more than a place to sleep,
but a path toward permanent housing.
>> Our current shelter, you know, um is at
its capacity of about 34 beds are full
right now at our current shelter. Um
those families will be moving in in the
next week, so that'll put us, you know,
a little over half capacity here.
>> For the staff at Two Sisters Lodge,
success won't be measured by how many
families come through the door, but by
whether the support inside helps them
regain stability and eventually secure a
place of their own.
>> The successful part, you know,
this building still being full of
children's laughter,
you You um
that would that would mean a great deal
to us.
Um families are coming and going. We're
providing them the services that we do
and they're they're getting housed.
>> The finishing touches are still coming
together, including the immaculate
kitchen where appliances are now in
place as the shelter gets closer to
being ready to house families.
Reporting in Brainerd, I'm Ryan Fleming,
Lakeland News.
>> Families are expected to begin moving
into the housing unit by the end of next
week once the building is fully
furnished.
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