City Salute: Ruth Meiers Hospitality House | Video

Kristin Clouston | 10/17/2012

For the past 25 years, the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House has served more than half a million people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The need for services continues to grow, and the non-profit is making big changes so it can help even more people. That`s why KFYR-TV and City Magazine are giving it our salute for October.

The first thing you see when you enter the new reception area of the Ruth Meiers Hospitality house is a big welcome sign and a smiling face. Workers say they are getting a lot more people trying to make their way out west, as well as families that have been priced out of the housing market.

"Now in the next two weeks we will open up our family center to serve single dads and expand our family shelter to serve more single mothers and children," said Executive Director Jaci Bugbee.

The center is also adding more beds to the main shelter and will be expanding the stone soup kitchen next month.

"So we`ll be able to serve more in our soup kitchen. We`re seeing about 15 to 20 more everyday in our soup kitchen than we saw in January or February of this year and so we need to make it more efficient," Bugbee said.

Between 25 and 50 people call each day seeking services and they aren`t all homeless. Some just need to see a nurse and will soon be able to do so at the onsite clinic.

Joanne`s Clinic will re-open on October 30. It will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will serve people without insurance, and the homeless. Basic treatments will be referred to the medical community in Bismarck.

The center works with law enforcement, other emergency housing providers, human service agencies and churches and serves more than 150 people a day.

Visit rmhh.org for more information on the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House.

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