Residents of Saint Paul's West End welcomed the return of Neighborhood House to West 7th Street at the Sibley Plaza location grand opening celebration December 18. "After we were forced to close our facility on West 7th due to funding reductions, we began offering much of the same programming at Homecroft Early Learning Center and Francis Basket but the community really felt the loss of the physical location on West 7th," said Milena Gebremeskel, Neighborhood House Program Manager. "About 400 West End residents signed a petition asking Neighborhood House to return. They are truly thrilled that we are back!"
The new location will be shared with the Saint Paul Police Department. The new site will bolster police presence in the West 7th neighborhood, providing officers with a location to meet with local residents and prepare police reports. “This storefront, made possible by the generous donation of space from Sibley Plaza, allows us to work together to better serve this dynamic, unique, and vibrant neighborhood,” said Senior Commander Colleen Luna, who heads the department’s Western District.
Neighborhood House will offer a variety of services at the site, including Early Childhood and Family Education. Even with the new location, programs will continue to be held at Homecroft School. “We are excited to be back in the West 7th neighborhood. Our partnership with the Police Department will serve the community very well,” said Neighborhood House President Armando Camacho.