This past Monday, Rachel's Light, the newest transitional home in Steele County, has opened their doors. They will take in women and children, up to the age of 18, as long as the children are still in school.

The house, which has 12 beds and four rooms, will take in women and children who are experiencing any type of temporary homelessness. They do not accept men, and they are not an emergency shelter for those who may be trying to get out of a violent home situation or those who are hiding from an abusive partner. They will, however, connect those with the right people who can help.

Rachel's Light came about after the closing of the Lily Sparrow House here in Owatonna, and there are a couple of differences. the biggest difference is that Rachel’s Light is a 501©(3) non-profit organization. This means that they can do fundraising, in addition to relying on donations from private parties and churches. They will also have a more formal program to help the families connect to different resources that will help establish more long-term housing.

There are several fundraising events coming up for Rachel's Light, including a rummage sale to be held at Associated Church, here in Owatonna, on Saturday, September 14, from 8 am to 5 pm. They are accepting donations for the sale on Friday from 9 am to 7 pm. The sale will be all free-will donation. In November, there will be an open table soup supper and silent auction.

Rachel's Light, located right next to St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Meriden, will also be blessed on Sunday, September 29, from 3 pm to 5 pm.

If you want to help out in any way, you can reach out to Rachel's Light, either through their website, or their Facebook page.

More From KDHL Radio