“Homelessness is an endemic everywhere, both in urban and rural areas. The lack of affordable housing is also everywhere; just because homelessness is less visible in rural areas doesn’t mean it’s not there. Quantifying the number of homeless people is a nearly impossible task, so we cannot say that we have a more-or-less than average number of people with no permanent address,” said Lorna Cotner, NUMAS Haus office coordinator. 

NUMAS Haus first opened it’s doors in 2016 and have helped many though out the years. The nonprofit has a 90 day program that assists occupants with urgent needs like food, shelter, and clothing and then facilitates and guides the skills for achieving and sustaining housing stability. According to the organization’s website, NUMAS HAUS has served a total of 180 women and children as of Feb. 2024 with nearly 70% of residents finishing the program and successfully transitioning to independent living. 

Other areas of support that NUMAS HAUS offers to residents include skills on parenting, mental health, finance, conflict resolution, and job searching and employment. The Point In Time (PIT) count in 2024 noted that over  9,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the state on a given night. Without community support and engagement, Cotner says the organization would cease to exist. 

“Community awareness has led to strong support from both local individuals and organizations,” she said. “The more people pool their resources and contribute, the more families we can help to build a  stable future. By offering their time, talent, and treasure, our volunteers are indispensable for the many tasks they help us with, and donations either financial or in-kind are the backbone of our daily operations.”

NUMAS Haus open its in 2016. The nonprofit has a 90 day program that assists occupants with urgent needs like food, shelter, and clothing and then facilitates and guides the skills for achieving and sustaining housing stability. The original shelter could house up to three families for 90 days. In 2024, NUMAS was able to acquire a neighboring church building with a plant to expand shelter space.

In January 2024, NUMAS aquired the former First United Methodist Church building located next door to the original shelter building. The former church building will be used to house families following rennovations. The rennovation work is scheduled to be completed during the first half of 2026, according to Cotner. The cost of the added space is $1.1 million dollars.

“Everything’s moving right along and there have been no unforeseen delays,” Cotner said. “The sprinkler system, plumbing & electrical updates, drywalling, mini-splits and bathroom installs have all been completed.  We’re at the painting stage right now. It will house three to five more families, with adjoining rooms that can be opened up for larger families or used individually for smaller ones.  That brings the total number of families we can serve at one time up to eight.”

The former First United Methodist Church at Broadway and Center Street in New Ulm is being renovated into additional emergency housing for NUMAS Haus. Renovations are expected to be complete in 2026. Once complete, NUMAS will be able house eight families at one time.