DESK Celebrates the 266 State Capital Project’s Start with “Wall-Breaking Ceremony”
Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Inc. kicked off the renovations to its Drop-in & Resource Center at 266 State Street in New Haven, Connecticut, on Jan. 23 with a “wall-breaking ceremony” featuring Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Mayor Justin Elicker. The celebration marked the start of a much-anticipated capital project to renovate DESK’s facilities, where unhoused individuals are connected to a variety of services.
The conceptual design of the project began in 2019-20 with a series of interviews, focus groups and a half-day workshop that brought together people with lived expertise, providers, volunteers, community stakeholders, law enforcement and city officials. A major step toward the goal of creating New Haven’s first low-barrier, downtown Drop-in & Resource Center was realized in December 2020 when DESK purchased the three-story building at 266 State Street. The following April, DESK launched the DRC as a day program, open 1:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday — all the while, working in the background to acquire the funding, design the architectural plans and plan for the renovations.