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October 10, 2025  | 
WQOW

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - For years, a day resource center has felt like a distant dream for CEO Anna Cardarella of the nonprofit Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council.

"Each of us has limited opportunities in their lives to make impactful change in their communities and this is ours," said Cardarella. 

Now, a new space is just months away from welcoming its first guest facing homelessness in the Chippewa Valley. Located at the recently-renamed One Better Way, a former office building that used to house two state agencies is undergoing extensive remodeling to welcome both a day resource center and Western Dairyland's housing and family services. 

"The biggest expense is turning an office restroom into six single-sex restrooms, three with showers for guests, so that was a huge renovation," Cardarella said. "Then adding water lines for laundry and then for a patient care room further on for medical providers to see patients on-site."

There's also a fenced-in patio to build, personal offices for Western Dairyland staff, and offices for regional resources to set up shop in and meet with clients. All of these amenities are huge upgrades over the existing conditions of the Haven House.

In 2023, the Haven House was able to find a temporary home in a former pawnshop on 412 Washington Street. However, the conditions are less than ideal. The current Haven House only has two restrooms, a failing roof causing extensive water damage, aging utilities, and above all, a lack of space for a building that saw over 80 people on its busiest day this year. 

The new facility offers roughly three times the space. 

There is urgency as construction continues, as the current Haven House is winding down its operations.

"The funding ends in December, the lease ends in December, so we have to get into a new facility because that just won't be available anymore," Cardarella said. 

That's why construction is being focused on the day center side, so that it welcome its first guests by the end of the year as shelter is survival during Wisconsin winters.  

While the dream is being realized, it takes money to get there.

"Western Dairyland, who will be the owner of the building, has secured a loan. Our goal is to get the building paid for in five years using pledges and donations," Co-Chair Sue Bornick of the One Better Way Capital Campaign said.

What attracted Bornick to donating her time and energy towards fundraising is the community aspect of the project, like nonprofit Hope Gospel Mission agreeing to operate the current Haven House and the future day resource center when it opens. 

"Western Dairyland and Hope Gospel Mission, they did their work," Bornick said. "They did their research touring five states and other day resource centers to find out what's good, what's bad, what's working, and they brought all these best practices together to make this happen."

In just under a month, the capital campaign will start its public kickoff, although some funds have already been gathered.

"Community support has been outpouring, as of right now we've raised almost $3-million, our goal is $6.4-million," Bornick said. 

Some of those early pledges include large contributions from the City of Eau Claire, the Pablo Foundation and Mayo Clinic Health System. In talking with potential donors, Bornick said that emphasizing the community impact this project will have is extremely effective. 

"80% of those that are homeless right now are from our area, and what better way can we help support them than by bringing all the resources together for somebody who's down and out and needs a lift," Bornick said.

The One Better Way Capital Campaign will kick off with a November 13 event at the Florian Gardens that aims to share the vision and impact of the new facility.