After several years of development and construction, the Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center is open to the public in Howard County, Maryland.

READ: Leola Dorsey Center: Eradicating Chronic Homelessness

The Leola Dorsey Center is a permanent supportive housing facility located in Jessup that  houses 35 formerly homeless individuals and provides ‘one-stop shop’ walk-in services for 100-120 currently homeless people a day.

We, along with the multiple government and community organizations that brought this dream to life, including the Day Resource Center, hosted a ribbon-cutting and tour on October 2, 2017.

The center is named after the late civil rights activist and educator, Leola Dorsey, whose pictures don a wall in the center lobby.

Her son, who attended the ribbon cutting in her honor, said, “My mother would love this building.”

The Leola Dorsey Center allows homeless individuals to walk-in, rest, and receive basic needs and resources, including healthcare checkups and medications at the free clinic.

They can receive hot meals from the kitchen, as well as canned goods from the food pantry.

They can take a shower in one of the private bathrooms.

The homeless can wash their clothes in the laundry room.

They may receive donated clothes from the free pantry.

And relax in the first floor area.

Many items were provided by donations, and most nurses, doctors, and center staff donate their services for free.

Learn more about the Leola Dorsey Resource Center here: https://www.voachesapeake.org/ldcrc

Read Baltimore Sun’s coverage of the ribbon-cutting.