As the tides of change start to show the housing first model as a long time failure to the homeless problem, it’s now not pc to say “homeless” and we replace this long used term with the term “un-homed”. The tides of change are leaning to the “recovery first model”. Jess and I have long stood on the platform that a person must want recovery first, otherwise we just provide a den of despair rather that a home to recovery.
But wait, there is more! The road to helping folks is hard and sometimes, near impossible, yet the LORD finds a way for us to help his children.
We want to tell you about the harsh reality of standing in the gap of homeless risks and let you know just how hard it is to do the right things for people.
We need your help.
Sam’s Place is a housing support provider located in rural Itasca County, Minnesota. We provide high-quality housing with meals and supplemental services—meaning we go far beyond basic room and board. We invest ourselves personally in our residents’ daily lives, helping them find stability, well-being, and independence.
Sam’s Place was founded by Jess and Charlie Hazzard after the passing of their son, Sam. You can learn more about their story at samsplacenorth.com or on our Facebook page. Jess and Charlie take no compensation for their work. They serve from a place of deep compassion and commitment to helping others.
What Happened
In October 2025, Sam’s Place received devastating news. After nine months of providing supplemental services to residents—having taken over operations, changed the name, and completed the process to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit—the state finally gave us approval to begin retroactive billing for more than $40,000 worth of services already provided.
However, Itasca County informed us that the 16 supplemental service “beds” (known as Rate 2) assigned to our establishment no longer exist.
That means no retroactive payments—and no ability to bill for these services going forward, despite our holding the required license.
To clarify: “Beds” is a county term referring not to physical beds, but to the authorization for providing supplemental housing support services (Rate 2). Currently, we can collect only the basic room and board rate of $1,192 per month, which covers food, utilities, toiletries, and essentials. The supplemental services, valued at around $500 per month per resident, are unfunded. These services include supervision, medication reminders, transportation support, and assistance with daily living skills—helping residents achieve clean and sober living, maintain mental health, and rebuild their lives.
Our Impact
Over the past nine months, Sam’s Place has helped more than 20 individuals move off the streets, out of a shed, out of shelters, and into safe, stable housing with regular meals and hot showers. Some stayed for a month; others longer. Each one has been treated with dignity, compassion, and love.
Sam’s Place is the largest housing support provider of its kind in Itasca County, and our team continually goes above and beyond what’s required. We’ve done everything asked by the county, MHCP, and the State of Minnesota—yet find ourselves in this impossible position due to bureaucratic confusion and communication breakdowns.
How You Can Help
We are committed to continuing our services without interruption, but we cannot do it alone.
Your donation directly supports residents—your neighbors, local retirees, veterans, and others who have been overlooked or forgotten. Every dollar helps us provide safe housing, home-cooked meals, and compassionate care to those most in need.
Aside from supporting individuals, Sam’s Place also provides jobs and economic stability to our small Iron Range community. We bring purpose, value, and hope—giving people not just a place to stay, but a true home.
Please consider donating today to keep this vital work going.
Donate online: samsplacenorth.com
Mail donations to:
Sam’s Place
PO Box 313
Bigfork, MN 56628
Call us: 218-256-9154
In Service,
Jess & Charlie Hazzard
Founders, Sam’s Place