Inside The Landing MN’s Lifeline for the Rochester-area’s Unhoused Community

OLMSTED COUNTY, MINN. – “Everybody has a story,” said Shawna Bowman, Director of Operations at The Landing MN.

Bowman has had a front row seat to a great many of those stories during her five years at this area day center for people experiencing homelessness. Located in southeast Rochester, it’s open seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., all year long.

“We have had all sorts of people check in here; we’ve had retired registered nurses, retired police officers, people who faced difficult upbringings and have aged out of foster care.”

Director of Operations Shawna Bowman (left) and Client Advocate Manager Tara Callahan assist guests on their journey to stability at The Landing MN. (Photo by Kristin Burdey)

On a chilly Saturday morning, the living room is a bustle of activity. At least fifty people occupy the space, drinking coffee, chatting with neighbors, sleeping in corners. Client advocate manager Tara Callahan strides across the floor to greet a handful of women checking in for volunteer training, exchanging smiles and welcomes with every person she passes.

“You get to know each client as themself, as an individual, and you learn how to communicate with each of them.” Through her greetings, it is clear that she knows all of their names, and all of their stories.

Whatever circumstances brought them through the doors, they find a soft place to land when life gets hard. Nearly 1100 individuals found the soft place they needed at The Landing MN in 2025, totaling 40,440 distinct visits to the low-barrier day center for adults. Those numbers stay steady through all four seasons, with an average of 110 to 130 people every single day of the year.

In addition to providing shelter from the elements, other essential services available to guests include access to bathrooms, showers, laundry and toiletries. With the launching of a hot breakfast program this past August, visitors can now count on being able to eat three meals a day.

“It’s basic steps and basic needs,” explained Callahan.

Founders Dan and Holly Fifield learned a lot about basic needs through their work as nurses at Mayo Clinic, Holly in oncology and Dan in emergency. The couple had seen firsthand how easily a medical emergency can force people into a situation from which they cannot recover. The Fifields realized how desperately those in crisis needed access to basic resources in order to survive.

Volunteers have helped prepare a hot breakfast seven days a week since launching the program in August. (Submitted Photo)

According to The Landing’s website, nearly ten years ago Dan Fifield had a dream about an actual place that could help meet those needs, a place that served as a refuge for people who were struggling, and the place in his dream was called “The Landing”.

At work he found himself frustrated, wanting to help people who arrived at the hospital with health problems stemming from homelessness. Attempts to provide assistance resulted in misunderstandings and a subsequent suspension from work, leading the Fifields to take steps to make that dream a reality.

After The Landing MN was officially established in March of 2020, the early days of the shelter were spent in the Mayo Civic Center. With normal goings-on at a standstill due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the Exhibition Hall was turned into a temporary day center.

In November of that year until spring of 2022, their home base became the Silver Lake Fire Station, with the help of funding from the CARES Act.

When the lease expired at Silver Lake, the Salvation Army shared its space while a newly-purchased site in southeast Rochester was renovated.

Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota runs the Overnight Shelter located across the street from The Landing MN. (Submitted Photo)

Since November of 2022, the day center has been located on 3rd Avenue SE, conveniently right across the street from The Overnight Shelter run by Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota. This facility is open from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., exactly opposite the hours of The Landing MN, so there is no gap in services.

The Fifields understood the importance of connecting people to essential resources spanning a range of services, including housing, healthcare and employment, knowing that those services are crucial to moving forward. Building and sustaining community partnerships has become a cornerstone of the shelter’s operations, creating a network of support and advocacy.

“Next steps are different for every single person,” says Bowman, explaining how seemingly simple tasks like taking a shower or changing into clean clothes may be the hurdle that keeps an individual stuck.

“Ninety-nine percent of our clients have trauma, either from childhood or from experiencing homelessness,” she emphasizes.

“There is a huge lack in mental health resources. What we can provide in-house is not enough; it’s probably our number one need,” according to Bowman. “Many of our clients are currently operating in survival mode, and it takes time to build trust and get back on track.”

Partnerships with other local organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI-SEMN) and Zumbro Valley Mental Health are vital to caring for those experiencing homelessness. Likewise, partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and the Winona State University nursing program are imperative to the physical health of their clients, with the on-site medical clinic seeing over 1200 appointments last year alone.

But moving beyond survival mode requires a community of support and a list of needs that people living comfortably inside of a home may not even realize exist.

Being supported while filling out paperwork is an essential service provided to individuals experiencing homelessness. (Submitted photo)

Daily tasks and life changes can become nearly impossible without a permanent home. From replacing a lost document to scheduling appointments to getting to a job interview, limited access to technology, reliable transportation or even a shower makes these tasks nearly insurmountable.

Staff and volunteers face these types of situations every day and they help their clients navigate each. From providing assistance with paperwork to providing personal storage bins in-house, from conducting mock interviews to fitting them with new clothes from generous donations, staff creates a bridge to stability. They will even help clients get veterinary care offered by The Street Dog Coalition.

None of this happens without generous community support. Roughly 70% of funding comes directly through donations and fundraising events. Over 800 registered volunteers are ready to serve their neighbors, with 242 new volunteers starting in the past year alone.

Being able to care for people is the most rewarding aspect of Callahan’s work. (Submitted Photo)

The three goals for the year ahead outlined in the annual report paint a clear picture of hope and beauty: cultivating a day shelter rooted in dignity, safety and belonging; walking alongside guests as they navigate their own path forward and strengthening their capacity to show up for people, consistently and collectively.

“Gaining trust and communicating with clients is a lot of what we do,” says Bowman. “For us to understand their story and where they came from can help us to get them the resources we need.”

In addition to the objectives of the organization, the people who make their living at The Landing MN have some wishes they would love to see granted. “More space,” Callahan and Bowman say in unison. Quiet spaces where people can relax and sleep, and comfortable furniture for them to enjoy.

“More storage for people’s things,” continues Callahan, citing the frequent theft those experiencing homelessness encounter with no permanent location for their belongings.

Bowman and Callahan have deep knowledge of both the rewards and challenges of working with the unhoused population.

“The hardest thing is seeing them struggle, knowing that they’re human and knowing they’re being judged; knowing that they don’t feel loved,” shares Callahan. “That’s challenging, because I want to love every single one of them. And that is also the most rewarding part: getting to love every single one of them.”

Bowman echoes the challenges that guests face within the community. “I think the biggest thing people could do is just to educate themselves,” she encourages, after having seen the effects negative stereotypes have on her clients.

“Coming in here and seeing what we’re doing makes a huge difference. We’ve seen volunteers come in with strong judgments in their mind,” she begins, “. . . and they fall in love with our clients,” finishes Callahan. “It’s hard not to. They’re great people, each and every one of them.

“They just have bad days. They’ve gone through some hard times, some trauma, and made some mistakes. But everybody is somebody’s son or daughter, or mom or dad, or uncle or cousin. Each person is an individual, and they’re wonderful.”