MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Marquette’s Room at The Inn has a new director, and some new renovations. The non-profit is a 24-hour warming center and emergency homeless shelter. The Inn hosted an open house to show off some recent renovations and welcome its new director, Chelsie Wilkinson.
Originally from Indiana, Wilkinson has a background in urban affairs and nonprofit administration, with a Masters of Public Administration. She says as someone who comes from a low income household, it’s important to her to give back to people just like her family.
“I come from the community action world, where we look at poverty alleviation as a whole.” Wilkinson explained. “We are really trying to understand what the root causes of poverty are and hold communities responsible for making sure that we’re wrapping our arms around folks who are experiencing hardships.”
Wilkinson said her and her husband love to give back and they’re excited to be a part of the Marquette community.
“It seems like everybody’s really eager to help.” She said. “They just don’t quite know how to yet, and so that’s really the dots I’m hoping to connect in this role”
Wilkinson said that the challenges that Marquette County faces around homelessness need to be faced as a community. She said Room at the Inn is is one of the ways that the community can help folks that are experiencing homeless, and that the goal of the open house was for the community to engage with board members, volunteers, and guests to let people know that The Inn is a safe and welcoming place for everybody.
