Houston County Resource Information

Posted: March 19, 2020

Houston County Resource List Last updated March 19, 2020 (This list will be updated as much as possible. If you have an update, please comment on the post with this link at the top of the Houston County Emergency Management Facebook page. Also check that post for the most recent updates.) 

What You Need to Know: 

  • As of 3/18, there is a shortage of test kits in Minnesota. At this time, priority of testing is for hospitalized patients, healthcare workers, and long-term care residents.
  • IF YOU HAVE ANY GENERAL SYMPTOMS: PLEASE STAY HOME. Any respiratory symptoms may be attributed to COVID-19. Stay home at least 7 days after symptoms go away, or at least 3 days after your fever leaves.
  • Mayo Clinic: If you are showing any sign of possible COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your local health provider. Your provider or a nurse will direct you to our dedicated COVID-19 Nurse Line.
  • Gundersen: Call your primary care provider or call our Telephone Nurse Advisors (24/7, 365): 608-775-4454 or 800-858-1050.

City Services & Businesses Information Table of Contents Brownsville ………………………………………………………………………………………………….2 Caledonia ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Eitzen …………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Freeburg ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Hokah …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 Houston ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6 La Crescent …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 Spring Grove ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8

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Brownsville Essential Services: 

  • Located at the City Hall/Community Center, bus will be there around 11:30 Monday – Friday. Caledonia Area Public Schools will be providing free bag meals during the mandated COVID-19 school closure. Bag meals will be offered starting March 19th thru March 27th. The sack will contain a breakfast (grain, cheese stick, fruit, juice) and a lunch (a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and a beverage). Any child, in your household 18 years of age or younger is eligible to receive one of these bags of meals. All bag meals will be offered FREE of charge regardless if your student is eligible for free/reduced meals to household members 18 and under.

Restaurants & Food: 

  • Saxon Hall: Regular menu available as take out and delivery (delivery only to city limits of Brownsville and not on gravel roads)

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Caledonia Essential Services: 

  • FOOD SHELF: Donations of both food and money are needed. They are looking specifically for: hot dogs, hot dog buns, canned pasta, 2 lb packages of hamburger, hamburger helper. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays at normal times.
  • Caledonia City Hall, Police Station, Public Library: CLOSED until further notice. City staff will be available by phone at 507-725-3450 and by email. Non-emergency police assistance: 507-725- 3889. Utility bills can be paid using the box outside city hall, by calling 507-725-3450, or online through Payment Service Network, which can be accessed through the city website. All debit/credit surcharges through phone payments are waived.
  • Located at the Caledonia Elementary School between 11:00-12:30 Monday – Friday through March 27: Caledonia Area Public Schools will be providing free bag meals during the mandated COVID-19 school closure. Bag meals will be offered starting March 19th thru March 27th. The sack will contain a breakfast (grain, cheese stick, fruit, juice) and a lunch (a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and a beverage). Any child, in your household 18 years of age or younger is eligible to receive one of these bags of meals. All bag meals will be offered FREE of charge regardless if your student is eligible for free/reduced meals to household members 18 and under.
  • Caledonia Community Giving is available with volunteers if you have needs at this time. Contact them via facebook @Caledoniachampions.

Restaurants & Food: 

  • AJ’s Bar & Grill: Full menu pickup or delivery (3-mile radius). Open Wednesday-Friday to start, weekend to be determined.
  • Caledonia Bakery: Limiting the number of customers in the bakery at a time. You can call to place your order and staff will bring it out to you in your car. You can also call ahead. Normal business hours.
  • Chuck’s Old-Fashioned Meats: Normal hours, offering delivery arrangements after 6 pm by calling 507-725-BEEF (2333).
  • Elsie’s: Regular menu available as pickup and delivery. Pickup window is the window next to the telephone booth on the north side of the building.
  • The Farmhouse Eatery & Gifts: CLOSED until further notice.
  • Redwood Café: Hours 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM Monday – Sunday, Friday 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM. Carry- out services ONLY (NO dine-in service). Call 507-725-2270 for your order.
  • Wired Rooster: Selling all perishables on discount until sold. Once perishables are sold, they are closed until March 27th

Community: 

  • Buckboard: Closed until further notice
  • Caledonia Argus: Offices closed during business hours. You can contact via Facebook, email, or call the office at 507-724-3475. Virus-related stories posted to website free of charge.
  • MAAD Alley: CLOSED through March 27th
  • Mary Ann’s Floral/Pine Cone Place: Open with normal hours. Spring Open House has been cancelled.

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Eitzen Essential Services: 

  • City Hall: Remaining open at this time during normal hours.
  • Located at City Hall, the bus will be there around 11:30 Monday – Friday through March 27. Caledonia Area Public Schools will be providing free bag meals during the mandated COVID-19 school closure. Bag meals will be offered starting March 19th thru March 27th. The sack will contain a breakfast (grain, cheese stick, fruit, juice) and a lunch (a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and a beverage). Any child, in your household 18 years of age or younger is eligible to receive one of these bags of meals. All bag meals will be offered FREE of charge regardless if your student is eligible for free/reduced meals to household members 18 and under.
  • To get signed up for meals on wheels (or to help deliver meals), call: 507-864-8228

Restaurants & Food: 

  • Gater’s Bar & Grill is offering carry-out food from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, and 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm daily. Hours of operations are 11:00 – 7:00 daily with off-sale available.

Freeburg Essential Services: 

  • Located at the Community Center, the bus will be there around 11:30 Monday – Friday through March 27. Caledonia Area Public Schools will be providing free bag meals during the mandated COVID-19 school closure. Bag meals will be offered starting March 19th thru March 27th. The sack will contain a breakfast (grain, cheese stick, fruit, juice) and a lunch (a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and a beverage). Any child, in your household 18 years of age or younger is eligible to receive one of these bags of meals. All bag meals will be offered FREE of charge regardless if your student is eligible for free/reduced meals to household members 18 and under.

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Hokah Essential Services: 

  • Hokah City Offices: Closed to the public starting Wednesday, March 18 and may last two weeks or longer. City staff will be available to assist citizens by phone at 507-894-4990 and by email. Non-emergency city police assistance: 507-894-4777.
  • Hokah Public Library: Closed to the public starting Tuesday, March 17 at 7:00 pm until further notice.
  • La Crescent Schools will be providing student meals. Please contact your child’s school building office or the food service department to get on the list. This is for all students in the community including the Montessori school and private/home school children. Locations and times for services are:

o La Crescent Mayo Clinic lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Dresbach-By Bobcat 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o La Crescent Pool Parking lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o High School Parking lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Hokah Fire Hall 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Brownsville Community Center 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM

  • To get signed up for meals on wheels or to volunteer to deliver, call: 507-864-8228.

Community: 

  • Hokah Firefighters Association Gun Raffle: Postponed until May 16, 2020 at 7:00 pm at Hokah City Hall.

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Houston Essential Services: 

  • City Hall: Closed to the public until further notice. Drop off your city payments in the drop box to the right of the door. Call the office at 507-896-4033 if you need assistance.
  • Community Center, Nature Center, Library: Closed until further notice.
  • Student Lunches: Houston Schools will be providing meal bundles (breakfast, lunch, snack). To sign up for the meal bundle or just lunch (typical meal prices), call 507-896-5323, option 8. State your name, names of children for whom you want meals, if you want lunch or the meal bundle, which weekdays you’d like it prepared, the time between 10:00 – 1:00 you can pick up OR the need for delivery due to lack of transportation or medical fragility and give your address.
  • To get signed up for meals on wheels or to volunteer to deliver, call: 507-864-8228.

Restaurants & Food: 

  • Barista’s Coffee House: Normal hours and all orders are made to go.

Community: 

  • Valley High Golf Club: Closed until March 28.

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La Crescent Essential Services: 

  • FOOD SHELF: Open normal hours at the curb of the new location: 436 South 6th Street. They are providing pre-packed bags of food. New phone number is 507-895-1115. If you would like to donate financially, write your check to “La Crescent Food Shelf” and mail it to the HCP Center at 333 Main Street, La Crescent, MN 55947 or give online at https://givemn.org/story/LaCrescentFoodShelf
  • City Hall: After 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 18, offices will be closed to the public. Staff will be on hand to answer questions via phone. Main office line: 507-895-2595. For other numbers, visit the City of La Crescent Facebook page or the city website. You may place water payments in the dropbox outside the front door. Permits can be done online via the city website. You can renew your license plate tabs online at www.dvs.dps.mn.gov.
  • La Crescent Schools will be providing student meals. Please contact your child’s school building office or the food service department to get on the list. This is for all students in the community including the Montessori school and private/home school children. Locations and times for services are:

o La Crescent Mayo Clinic lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Dresbach-By Bobcat 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o La Crescent Pool Parking lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o High School Parking lot 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Hokah Fire Hall 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM o Brownsville Community Center 10:30 – 11:30 AM 4:30 – 6:00PM

  • La Crescent Senior Dining is offering delivery only to all clients. You can sign up to be on the delivery route or to help volunteer by calling 507-864-8231.
  • To get on the meals on wheels list or to volunteer to deliver, please call 507-895-6585.

Transportation: 

  • As of 3/18, Apple Express is still operating normally. Visit La Crosse MTU Facebook page for the most up to date information. Community: 
  • Chamber of Commerce: Monthly membership meeting March 18th CANCELLED.

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Spring Grove Essential Services: 

  • During the mandated school closure, Spring Grove Schools will be serving free meals (breakfast and lunch) to all children under the age of 18. Meals will be grab n’ go. Pick up times are between 11:00 – 12:30 on regularly scheduled school days. You can pick up at Door 1 of the school or at Viking Memorial Park, either at the white school van or at the log cabin. If you would like your child to receive meals, please fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/ZpmPafiwt6scQeg6A
  • Spring Grove City Hall is closed to the public until further notice. Payments can be left in the drop box next to the front door or by the back garage. If you have questions or need assistance, please call 507-498-5221. Staff will be available 8-5 Monday through Friday. Public restrooms at the log cabin and fest building are closed until further notice.
  • To get on the meals on wheels list or to volunteer to deliver, please call: 507-498-3385.
  • If you need more resources about what is available and community happenings, please check out the Caring For Our Neighbors, Spring Grove Area Facebook page.

Restaurants & Food: 

  • Doc’s Blue Moose is closed temporarily due to the severity of the pandemic.
  • Ivy Grove Café is open regular hours with carry out orders ONLY. Call 507-498-5450 to order.
  • The Lounge in The Corner is off-sale only from 12 pm – 10 pm through March 27.
  • Red’s IGA will shop for you. Drive up to the coffee shop drive thru window, hand your list to a barista, and they will get your order ready. You may pick up your order after an hour.

Community: 

  • Spring Grove Cinema is closed until further notice.

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