Emergency Shelter and Central Intake programs ending at St. Joseph's Home for Children

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - By the end of this year, St. Joseph's Home for Children in south Minneapolis will no longer serve as Hennepin County's Emergency Shelter and Central Intake after operating as such since the mid-1970s, according to Catholic Charities.

The closure comes following a decrease in the amount of children served by the emergency shelter in recent years due to increased efforts to place children with relatives and foster families first. The average census is "often below" 10 children a night at the shelter. 

“From babies to adolescents, children have found safety and stability in the care of St. Joseph’s Home for Children for generations,” said Tim Marx, President and CEO of Catholic Charities in a press release. “We are so proud of that legacy. While it’s always hard to leave a bit of history behind, this transition means the community is getting closer to its goal of keeping vulnerable children safely connected to and supported by their families and home communities, relying much less on an institutional setting like St. Joe’s – and that is a good thing.” 

The emergency shelter services at St. Joe's are expected to finish by the end of August. Central Intake will transition by the end of 2020. Staff with Hennepin County and Catholic Charities will work to move children currently receiving care into family member's home, foster home or other community-based options.

Other programs for youth will continue to operate at St. Joseph's.