Lake Region Mental Health Center has partnered with the Pope County Drop-In Center to provide space for the center to continue operating. Used by community members of all ages and abilities, the drop-in center is a crucial part of breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Pictured are Melanie Hanson, the director of the Drop-In Center and Brenda Schleske, Regional Director for Region IV.

Provides ‘safe place’ for acceptance, support, advocacy

By Melanie Stegner

Reporter

Pope County Drop-in Center, formerly known as Community Partners Drop-In Center in Glenwood, has relocated from their Minnesota Avenue building to the Lake Region Mental Health building on 6th Avenue. 

The Drop-In Center is a safe space for anyone to visit. It’s a place of acceptance, support, advocacy and self-empowerment. It’s an inclusive environment that provides a place for people to stop in for a chat, some games or a snack. 

The move for the center has been a blessing according to Melanie Hanson, Director. “We now have rooms for different activities. There’s a craft room, a media room, a meeting room, it’s nice that we can have several things happening at once for our clients.”

Drop-In centers normally provide recreational, educational or counseling services to a group and the Pope County Drop-In Center is no exception. 

When you walk in the doors, you are greeted by the smiling face of Hanson. She’s overseen the drop-in center for several years and has a background in mental health in a residential setting. “You’re safe here, no one is judging you,” stated Hanson. 

And a safe space it is. The clients appreciate the availability of a space to share what’s going on in their lives as well as being there for other clients. “It’s people helping people,” stated one of the clients. “Maybe I’m having a good day, but someone else may be having a bad one, so it’s nice that we can go somewhere and be there for each other,” he added.

“We need to work to remove the stigma of mental health in the community. It’s being recognized more and more, but there’s still a lot of work to do,” the client mentioned. 

The center hosts a variety of meetings and activities that give their visitors the chance to develop new skills. There are art projects, movies, snacks, beverages, comfy rooms with seating and computers with internet access. They host bingo, card parties, specialized classes, coffee groups, even pizza parties and have a trip to the Winter Flower Show at the Como Zoo planned for March 15th.

The mission of the center is to promote mental health education and awareness, and to help provide support for the mental health needs of the community to the best of their ability. Hanson feels that “a strong community creates more happiness and acceptance.”

“We always accept donations, whether it’s activity items, snacks or monetary,” Hanson said. “Some of the people who come through our doors are hungry, looking for housing or just need to talk.” 

The center is open to everyone whether they need help, or they want to help. Something as easy as coloring with a person can lead to just the right inspiration to change a life. 

On Wednesdays, a Mindfulness Group meets at 11 a.m. and offers a variety of mindful activities like chair yoga, mediation practices, journaling styles and other methods to promote grounding and insight. Every other Thursday there is a card playing group or board game group and on the opposing Thursdays is a craft group. Every other Friday, the center hosts BINGO at 10 a.m. and then a movie group at noon. On the alternate Fridays, a lunch is provided by a local restaurant.

Community Partners Drop-In Center is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It is located at 14 6th Avenue NW in Glenwood. You can contact the center by calling (320)634-0888 or emailing mhanson@lmhc.org.