(KNSI) – A partnership between the St. Cloud Police Department and two organizations dedicated to helping veterans is opening up another place to help the community. St. Cloud Stand Down contacted the SCPD after a building in the 1500 block of 3rd Street South was donated to them, and they wanted to team up with the PD for help, according to Sergeant Tad Hoeschen.
“This is completely new it was just something that we were approached to and it was just something we didn’t want to say no to.”
DAV, Stand Down and police will use the space to do some programming for veterans and community outreach. There will also be a crime prevention area. Tad says the crime prevention specialist will have materials and be able to talk with neighbors and kids about different kinds of crimes.
The 5 Star Community Center is also talking to county groups for parent supervision programs to help parents learn how to do stuff better. Tad says they’re trying to partner with as many groups as possible to use the space.
“These groups are continuing to come to us and want to cooperate and want to do some of the amazing things that are happening in St Cloud. And they want to include the police department and that is something that means so much to us. It absolutely means the world that this community supports us so much.”
Stand Down will keep its building on 33rd Avenue North with its functions there. The 5 Star Community Center will act as additional space and will be used for the DAV drop-off boxes for donations. DAV volunteers will do laundry at the site.
On Saturday, St. Cloud will host a block party and ribbon-cutting in front of the new center.
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