Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation to Open Second Community Outpost at Salem Lutheran Church

(KNSI) – After more than two years of looking, the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation has found a home for the city’s second community outpost.

Salem Lutheran Church in East St. Cloud has been in conversations with the foundation since December on establishing the program in the neighborhood. Salem Senior Pastor Kirsten Nelson Roenfeldt sat down with KNSI News and told us the congregation voted on May 19th and gave the project a big thumbs up. “It’s for us a missional decision. We’re saying, this is aligned with our mission. And so, how do we make sure that we have the whole congregation on board? We have a vote. So, the overwhelming [majority approved]. It was almost 90% of the vote. So I think that’s a pretty clear statement.”

Jake Judd/KNSI News

The church sent a survey to the neighbors to find out what they would want to see in an outpost. They responded by asking for more help getting medical services. The 3,000-square-foot area will be home to pop-up clinics to provide preventive care and an office for the St. Cloud Police Department’s co-response team, which is called to deal with people having a mental crisis.

Nelson Roenfeldt believes the space will need significant remodeling. “It is very exciting to Salem as a community that we are having this opportunity to serve our neighborhood with the facility that we have.” The area up for lease is the church’s educational wing, which was built in the 1960s and is no longer used.

The building hopes to open in early 2025.

The outpost is a collaborative effort by CentraCare, The College of St. Benedict Nursing program, the SCPD, the St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation, and the church.

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