Willis Dady Emergency Shelter
Willis Dady Emergency Shelter has served over 10,000 homeless single men and families since opening in 1987. We provide over 9,000 nights of shelter per year, or roughly 20 -25% of nights of shelter provided 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 in 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 would live on through acts of kindness at Willis Dady Emergency Shelter.