Winona, MN – Helping the homeless has been heavy on the heart of Carla Burton, founder and Executive Director of Grace Place in Winona for many years. It has been part of her vision since Grace Place Ministry began in 1992, offering shelter and safe housing for young, single mothers.
Burton’s dream of being able to offer transitional housing to help individuals and families get back on their feet came true this past January when Grace Place purchased the former Catholic Worker House at 802 W. 6th Street in Winona. With the help of volunteers, the home has been refreshed with new paint and repairs made.
Burton said it was a challenge to get the home ready for families, “We purchased the home in January 2020 and we all know what happened a few months later with COVID-19. But we had the help of volunteers who repainted walls, and Habitat for Humanity took care of needed repairs,” she said.
For its part, Hiawatha Broadband Communications (HBC) will be donating Internet service for the home’s guests. Burton said having access to the Internet will play an important role in getting
people back on their feet.
“Without Internet what would you do,” asked Burton. “Nearly everything needed to get a job requires an Internet connection including learning new skills, finding job opportunities, and emailing job applications and resumes.”
When presented with the idea, HBC president Dan Pecarina said he knew this was a special way that HBC could help make a difference in someone’s life.
“This is one way we can invest in our community and help improve someone’s quality of life,” Pecarina said. “Our company vision is to enhance and enrich the lives of those we serve, and I don’t think there is anything more rewarding than to be able to play a small part in helping to change someone’s life for the better.”
Grace Place is a faith-based organization that provides help for families to live spiritually wholesome, safe, healthy, and productive. Grace Place began its mission in Winona in1992 by providing a place to live and support for single mothers. Today Grace Place offers programming for parents and their children from birth to age five and beyond.
Based in Winona, HBC builds and operates hybrid fiber and Fiber-To-The-Premises networks providing high-speed Internet, Video, and Phone services to 30 communities in southeast Minnesota. HBC also provides wireless broadband services in rural areas throughout southeast Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin.
