Connections Shelter opens for the season

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Connections Shelter in Mankato is now open for the season.

The 40-bed shelter is located on East Hickory Street, and is open from October to May.

Guests can arrive at 5 pm for a hot meal, and are given a room and access to bathrooms, showers, the theatre room, and other space to enjoy downtime.

Checkout is at 8 a.m. the next day.

For this season the shelter is hoping to remain active all year round due to an uptick in visitors. The shelter says it’s most likely demand is up because of inflation and rising prices.

“At the height of our wait list last year, we had 300 people on our wait list. We are seeing increased numbers of our drop-in center, which is where we serve people who are unhoused, not necessarily in shelter, some of them are on the verge of homelessness and need access to resources, so we’ve been seeing a huge uptick in those numbers,” said Executive Director Jenn Echevarria.

The shelter also runs a drop-in center that is open from 10 am to noon and 1 to 3 pm, where anyone in need can pick up frozen meals, water, and speak with a social worker who can connect them to resources.

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