New shelter provides safe haven for homeless

When Larry Patin came to Eau Claire he was homeless and without a job. He spent his nights sleeping in a building made available for the homeless to escape the cold.

"When I came to Eau Claire, I was broke, homeless, unemployed," says Patin.

Nearly a year later, Patin has a job helping the same people used to see every night.




The Sojourner House on Barstow St. opened November first and now aims to provide support to Eau Claire's homeless community.

Mary Clark, chairperson of the Sojourner advisory committee, says that since its opening, the Sojourner House has aimed to provide a safe, clean place for people to sleep and eat.

Deacon Richard Sage, the executive director of the La Crosse Diocese, the number of overnight residents at the shelter has increased steadily since its opening.

According to a report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the long-term homeless rate in America has dropped by 1-percent this year, due in large part to projects like the Sojourner House.

The Sojourner House also offers the homeless food, a place to wash clothes and access to other local organizations that can offer more specialized assistance like mental health treatment or drug rehabilitation.

In the future, Patin says he is hopeful the Sojourner House can help people in his old situation find both work and safety.

"The people of Eau Claire opened their arms to me," Patin says. "There's a lot of help if you know where to look. And it helped me, and I just want to give back and pay it forward."

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