Welcome

The mission of the Willis Dady Emergency Shelter is to provide immediate shelter to homeless single men and families in a safe, clean and caring atmosphere that promotes progress toward ending the cycle of homelessness.

You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.

Willis Dady Emergency Shelter

Willis Dady Emergency Shelter has served over 11,000 homeless single men and families since opening in 1987. We provide over 9,000 nights of shelter per year, or roughly a quarter of nights of shelter in Linn County. WDES serves an average of 297 single men and families living or relocating to Cedar Rapids and/or Linn County each year. We provide all services, free of charge to stabilize residents and facilitate progress toward change.

The founders of the shelter named it after a young man, Willis Dady, who jumped into the Des Moines River to save a drowning boy. Both the boy and Willis Dady lost their lives. The founders were incredibly inspired by his altruistic act, and decided that his name should live on through acts of kindness at Willis Dady Emergency Shelter.