LOVE: Minnesota Shelter Saved From Closure by Anonymous Donor

With winter weather encroaching (no really, it's bound to happen), our state's most vulnerable citizens will need a warm and safe place to stay. A shelter with a bed is one of those bare-minimums that can save a life.

A shelter in Minneapolis was set to permanently close in just a couple weeks, but was saved by the generosity of a stranger.

Anonymous Donor Matches City Grant to Save Minneapolis Shelter

An aging transitional housing and shelter building in downtown Minneapolis was going to close permanently October 9th because of safety concerns.

Earlier this month, the Minneapolis City Council approved a $1.5 million grant to avoid the shelter's closure. Agate Housing and Services - the social advocacy organization that runs the shelter - said they needed twice that to complete needed repairs for the 100-plus-year-old building.

A generous anonymous donor matched the Minneapolis City Council's grant to provide the shelter with enough funds to repair the building.

It was a close call according to Agate Housing and Services executive director Kyle Hanson: "Quite honestly, I was looking at putting it on the market, because there weren’t any immediate solutions coming forward. So this action by the council and this very generous donor have really changed the whole trajectory of the future of this building.”

To be able to complete the repairs, the shelter will still close temporarily on October 9th. Agate is working with partners to relocate both residents and employees during the repairs, which could take up to a year.

If you would like to donate to Agate Housing and Services, you can do so directly through their website. Money is always appreciated, but there are many ways to make a huge difference.

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H/T: MPR News