MADISON, Wis. -- Latino resident advocates and other community members said that they are thrilled to hear the Madison Catholic Diocese' Multicultural Center will be reopening on Aug. 3.

Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, a member of the executive committee of the Latino Support Network, or LaSUP, said they got the news on Wednesday morning at a meeting on the situation held at the United Way.

The diocese closed the center abruptly on May 30 due to budget cutbacks, stranding hundreds of residents who used its social services and free meals and leaving numerous staff without jobs.

Now, as part of the reopening effort lead by the Queen of Peace parish in Madison, all the staff will be rehired and the center will resume operations next month, according to Bidar-Sielaff.

A large part of the ongoing effort though is to raise more money for the $350,000-a-year operation.

Queen of Peace started a fundraising effort about a month ago, and it has been successful in bringing in enough donations to reopen the center.

On top of more than $150,000 from the Madison diocese's annual Catholic appeal, the parish said it has commitments for another $255,000 in donations from five states -- and one very special donor.

"We have one donation where an anonymous donor has given us $175,000, if we can match that, and we're on our way. We need more donations, though, to get to that; no doubt we'll have that and hopefully soon," said Andy Russell, director of the Catholic Multicultural Center.

All that is being revealed about the donor is that he is from outside the Madison area.

Many in the community and in the diocese said that they were shocked to learn of the sudden center closing and have been working to get the center reopened ever since. The effort to fundraise continues, the parish said.

Russell, the center's administrator, was rehired Wednesday. Four other laid-off workers will also return, as will the center's visiting nurse.

Workers and organizers are hoping to expand services when the center reopens, including having free meals four instead of three times a week and having a part-time counselor on hand.

Those who want to learn more about the center can attend a public open house from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 12 at the center, which is located at 1862 Beld St. in Madison.