The news is out! Operation HELP and Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs are working to create a new home for coordinated, comprehensive programs to help meet the basic needs of local families and individuals who are experiencing financial hardship. Located in the former TCO building near the Hudson Hockey Arena, the new center will house existing and expanded programs of both organizations and include:

  • A resource center for basic needs supplies and emergency financial services.

  • Space for a permanent fresh harvest program.

  • A volunteer work area for traditional backpack and curbside pick-up food distribution.

  • Storage for food and other supplies.

  • Office space and parking for additional nonprofit organizations.

  • Office space which can be leased to outside commercial interests and generate income for the nonprofits to sustain and contribute to the organizations’ missions.

Under One Roof Project Update - January 2024

Operation HELP and Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs cleared a final hurdle in creating a new, permanent nonprofit center in Hudson with the purchase of property at 1830 Hanley Road!

  • The property purchase is the most recent step for the “Under One Roof” project, a colocation planning process that dates back to the summer of 2020. Originally planned for the site of the former Norlake building on Second Street in downtown Hudson, the project ran into use permit challenges from the city in July 2023. The 1830 Hanley Road site was identified in September 2023. The City of Hudson Plan Commission and Common Council approved a certificate of compliance for the project at the new site in November 2023 clearing the way for purchase the first week of December. The purchase of the property is being made possible through capital campaign donations.

  • Over the next few months, the building will undergo minor modifications and serve as the new home for existing services that address the needs of St. Croix County residents facing financial hardship and food insecurity. When modifications are complete, Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs will have a permanent location for all their community and school centered programs. Operation Help will offer from the new location all their programs focused on emergency financial assistance for rent, utility, and car repair, as well as basic needs supplies and other related services. The facility will also have space to house additional small nonprofit organizations. We are excited about the move to the new nonprofit center, which is centrally located for many nonprofit program clients. Additional information about the timeline for move-in will be shared as it becomes available.

  • The building was the previous site of Twin Cities Orthopedics and currently houses The Zone fitness center and Hudson Soccer Association practice space. The Hudson Soccer Association will continue to use the indoor turf practice space. A portion of the building’s parking area will continue to be shared with the Hudson Youth Hockey Association.

  • Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs was established in 2007 and has become the largest direct service food insecurity provider serving Hudson and St. Croix County. Operation HELP programs date back to 1983 and have grown to include emergency financial assistance, a resource center for basic need items, and other related services for people facing financial hardship. Each organization serves thousands of individuals in hundreds of households throughout St. Croix County. Additional information about the programs can be found at https://operationhelpstcroix.org/ and https://www.hudsonbackpack.com.

  • If you have questions or would like additional info, please contact a representative of Operation HELP or Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs, email operationhelp.source@gmail.com, or call Operation HELP at (715) 386-1300.

Under One Roof Project Update - July 2023

At the City of Hudson Common Council meeting on Monday, July 17, members approved the application to rezone the 727 Second Street property from Light Industrial to B-4. The council then reversed the recommendation of the Plan Council by adding an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit which was required for the Under One Roof project. The amendment effectively banned Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs from distributing food from the site. A stream of the meeting can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/live/lKuSC6swwKE?feature=share

  • Given that the Backpack program is an integral part of the Under One Roof project, the decision effectively stopped further development at the Norlake Building site.

  • The project is not being abandoned. The project team is now considering alternative sites for the Under One Roof project and has identified a couple of leads. Quick action on an alternative site will be critical to maintaining the funding commitments we’ve already secured.

  • Many details about the next steps are just emerging or in a state of flux. Additional details will be shared as soon as they are known.

If you have questions or would like additional info, please contact a representative of Operation HELP or Hudson Area Backpack and Food Programs, email operationhelp.source@gmail.com, or call Operation HELP at (715) 386-1300. Click on the following links to view or download documents:

Link to May 25 2023 Star-Observer Letter to the Editor

Link to May 16 2023 Star-Observer Letter to the Editor (Hudson Area Ministerial Association)

Link to May 11 2023 Star-Observer Letter to the Editor

Norlake Building Project Handout from May 7 2023 Hudson EXPO

Norlake Building update & city review timeline 5.2.2023

Norlake Building Project backgrounder with FAQs 4.24.2023

  • City of Hudson Plan Commission met June 6, 2023 for a public hearing and to consider recommendations to the Common Council for rezoning and a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the Norlake Building project.  No action was taken on the matter and the items were deferred to the next meeting of the Commission.  The written recommendations and CUP prepared by city staff can be viewed here.  A recoding of the streamed meeting can be viewed on YouTube here

  • Application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from the City of Hudson was filed the week of May 1st.  It is anticipated that the CUP and rezoning will be on the agenda for the June 6th Plan Council meeting. Both the CUP and rezoning will be on the Common Council agenda for June 19th.

  • City of Hudson Common Council met April 24, 2023. On recommendation to the Common Council, a public hearing date was set for June 19th, 2023 regarding the rezoning application for 727 2nd Street REZ.

  • City of Hudson Plan Commission met April 11, 2023 to consider recommending that the Common Council set a public hearing date for “a zoning map amendment from I-1, Light Industrial to B-4, Central Business District at 727 Second Street – Operation Help.” The recommendation to proceed to scheduling a public meeting passed on a split vote.  You can view the video of the discussion though the following YouTube link:.   https://www.youtube.com/live/tXYAeoWdRlk?feature=share&t=1376.