Western Dairyland Day Resource Center Awarded Grant Funding

Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council will receive grant funding in support of its efforts to address homelessness in Eau Claire.

According to a press release on Thursday, the organization will receive $600,000 of grant funding for its One Better Way capital campaign. The campaign seeks to support the new Day Resource Center at 1 Better Way in downtown Eau Claire. With that grant funding, Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council is also now only about $1 million away from its $6.4 million fundraising goal.

Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council CEO Anna Cardarella also thanked Governor Tony Evers and the State of Wisconsin for recognizing the importance of the work the organization is doing in the press release.

“This investment is an important step forward for our community and for the individuals and families experiencing housing instability,” she said. “We’re bringing services together in a coordinated, accessible space where people can find support, stability, and a pathway toward permanent housing.”

The new Day Resource Center officially opened a few months ago, providing unhoused individuals in the Chippewa Valley with a place to get out of the elements and connect with resources like rapid rehousing and youth housing programs that can help them get back on their feet. Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council co-runs the site with Hope Gospel Mission, and the organizations also offer services like transportation and skills enhancement programs.

The $600,000 grant award comes from $248 million allocated by Governor Evers and the Wisconsin State Building Commission to support various infrastructure improvement and community development projects across the state.