Copeland clears Sharing and Caring Hands for new facility

By JESSICA LEE

Staff Writer

Sharing and Caring Hands founder Mary Jo Copeland hopped into a bulldozer Thursday morning and made the first pass at tearing down the homeless shelter she helped build.

But it was a happy day. Copeland is embarking on a $5 million expansion and renovation to better serve some of Minneapolis' needy residents.

"There's a bit of sadness," said Copeland, wearing a hard hat, safety vest and a smile. "I spent so many years in that building. It's a lot of memories."

The renovation project will add space for youth centers and temporary housing. It is a dramatic expansion of a shelter Copeland built three decades ago to provide food, temporary shelter, clothing, transportation and other amenities to the city's poorest residents.

The new facility is set to open in mid-July, adding family-size apartments to the facility's upper two levels and new children and teen centers on its main floor. Most of the space's occupants will be young, as Copeland said the existing space for the nonprofit's 400 children needs an upgrade.

"This [project] is going to give some families that have really been in crisis and lost a lot of hope for another change, to stay a little longer," Copeland said.

Sharing and Caring Hands' temporary housing building, named Mary's Place after the Virgin Mary, currently houses 92 residential units for people to live for a few months as they find permanent housing.

She said the remodeling project won't displace any homeless residents, and staff has made space available in its community rooms for youth activities until its opening.

The organization spends more than $400,000 a month on the needs of the thousands of families and children, mostly with private funds.

Council Member Lisa Goodman said Copeland's success with raising the private money and rarely approaching the city for help is impressive.

Goodman said throughout her almost two decades of knowing Copeland, she's been inspired by the charitable work.

"You spend any time with her and you see her eyes light up when she can help the lives of children," she said. "You can't but want to help, too."

Copeland's husband, Dick, said that though the building holds cherished memories, he's glad the facility is expanding to meet its growing needs.

"It's been a long run," he said.

Jessica Lee is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.