Polk County to open immigrant and refugee center
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The rounded roof side of this complex was a former Katz Drug Store and will open as an immigrant welcome center later this year. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios
An immigrant and refugee welcome center will open this year in a Polk County-owned complex previously used for human services.
Why it matters: Our metro's foreign-born population is growing.
- The center will help families navigate barriers such as language, transportation and child care.
Catch up fast: Two connected buildings at 1900 and 1914 Carpenter Ave. will open as the "Polk County Life Service Center" after a $5 million renovation is completed this fall.
- A walk-in mental health clinic, a sobering center and Broadlawns Medical Center's Crisis Observation Center will operate there.
- The city of DSM and the county will share the Life Service Center's annual estimated $1.2 million operating budget.
Driving the news: The east side of the campus will be called Global Neighbors and used as a centralized immigrant and refugee services site, Sarah Boese, deputy county administrator, tells Axios.
- Employers, service agencies, philanthropic groups and public institutions will be able to use the center to offer services to immigrant communities.
Flashback: Metro leaders have considered opening an immigrant welcome center for years, citing both social and economic benefits of having a dedicated location.
- The concept is modeled after others across the U.S.
By the numbers: Polk's foreign-born population increased 15% between 2017 and 2022, according to estimates published by the Iowa Data Center.
- The latest estimate accounted for roughly 48,000 people.
😽 Fun fact: The welcome center space was a Katz Drug Store in the 1950s and had a huge sign on its roof that included a cat with neon whiskers.
