Mary is off to Sunnier Climates!
A Personal Note from Mary Martin:

I am writing to bid my last farewell to you all and take this opportunity to thank you all for the memories, guidance, and support I have received over the last 14 years.
I am proud of the work of the Dignity Center. I am proud that we kept the Dignity Center open through COVID and navigated our way through the myriad of changes in community resourcing. I am proud of the student internship program and the learning experience we can provide. And I am proud that we are finally working with people who want to make the necessary changes towards their stability. All because of each and every one of you. It has truly been an incredible journey, and I will always be grateful to have worked with you all. It seems like a good time for me to retire- the Dignity Center is in a strong place and ready to be taken to the next level.

Although I’m going to miss the students, participants, and the volunteers, I look forward to this next phase in life where I get to spend more time making art and cruising the Southernmost Point!
Goodbye and take care,
Mary
Interim Director of Outreach and DIgnity Center appointed
The good news is we have an interim Director of Outreach and the Dignity Center ready to pick up the baton without any gap.
Rev. Kevin Schill will be joining our staff team as Interim Director of Outreach and Dignity Center beginning September 12, 2022. 

Kevin will be stepping in to direct the work of Dignity Center and spend three months accessing the Dignity Center and its relationship with other Hennepin Outreach ministries. We will be doing some research into what is most needed right now to serve our neighbors experiencing housing instability so that we can be sure that we are meeting the most pressing needs with effectiveness. We will also be exploring how we might increase our impact in the neighborhood.
He will be with us for 3 months, using his expertise to see where these programs should go next.
The Mission Continues:BE PART OF THE BOLD VISION FORWARD TO ADDRESS MN HOUSING CRISIS
CALL TO ACTION:
A Vision for Home: A Conversation on Housing with Minnesota Gubernatorial Candidates
September 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Wayzata Community Church
125 Wayzata Blvd E
Wayzata, MN 55391 United States

The state of Minnesota and the Governor have a crucial leadership role in setting a bold vision forward.
Groups, including Beacon, from across the entire housing continuum are sponsoring the event and we look forward to talking with candidates for Governor about their vision for home. We will discuss multiple issues around housing like homelessness, housing instability, and home ownership.

The questions will be crafted by a diverse group of housing stakeholders from the sponsoring organizations. We will provide the questions to candidates in advance.
We have invited all candidates for Governor polling over 10% in a major statewide poll conducted after July 1, 2022.

CLICK HERE to register and for more information.

SAVE THE DATE! AUGUST 31, 2022
The Dignity Center and YOU have now served 100,000 lbs of food!
When: Wednesday, August 31st at noon!
Where: The Dignity Center
What: Party! Lunch and cake provided by 2nd Harvest!

Join us to celebrate this milestone occasion! The Dignity Center and YOU have now served 100,000 pounds of food in partnership with Second Harvest Heartland! Food isn't our main mission but is a very necessary piece to fuel our participants on their path to having a stable, safe home and livelihood. We are using this milestone to bring awareness to the great need that still exists in our community and to raise funds for the future of The Dignity Center.
** Be sure to say thank you to Mary while you are here!

Please RSVP to dignity@haumc.org for us to get a rough number for planning purposes.

We need your help to do our work. Please donate HERE to support our participants as they struggle to avoid homelessness and we provide invaluable advocacy for our participants long-term. Thank you!

Thank you! YOU make all this possible! We would not have been able to reach this point without you!
The Dignity Center Advisory Board
Interested in helping lead The Dignity Center into a new phase? We are forming an advisory board for The Dignity Center, and looking for people to join! Here are some of the skills we are seeking out: advocacy, finance, fundraising, legal, marketing/communications, and strategic planning. Please contact Sarah Doebler, Development Director, for more information at sarah@haumc.org. Thank you!
The Dignity Center is a ministry of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.
LOCATION AND HOURS
The Dignity Center is located at 425 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403 | 612-435-1315
Visit us Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 9am to noon