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HOPE 4 Youth ENews | December 2016
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Letter From the Executive Director
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I think you will all agree that 2016 was quite a year for HOPE 4 Youth. As this year comes to an end, we reflect on what we have been able to accomplish thanks to the energy and efforts led by you – our volunteers, donors, partners and stakeholders!
This year we achieved many new milestones together, and took important steps towards reaching and helping more homeless young people in our community. These milestones range from doing case management differently, meeting health & wellness needs through the opening of HOPE Clinic at the Drop-In Center, raising awareness about the reality of sex trafficking for 1 out of 3 of the young people who walk through our doors each day, and the building and opening of HOPE Place, our new transitional housing project in Coon Rapids. Later in this newsletter, you will read about other amazing milestones, such as our new partnerships with several landlords who are providing housing opportunities for several of our youth. We also worked hard creating and strengthening relationships in the community, from the Anoka Mayor and City Council to local civic groups, to committed congregations and businesses as well as other nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA, YouthLink, CommonBond and the Anoka County Workforce Center. We also created a new Strategic Planning Committee to end youth homelessness in our community by 2020 and their work is gaining momentum.
Though this year has been filled with some incredible milestone achievements, it has also seen difficult decisions and struggles. Our giving community truly stepped up when we needed financial support to build and open HOPE Place, but often this comes at the expense of the general operating budget. It simply isn't as exciting to donate to keep the lights on as it is to build something new. We still need to end the year strong and ask for you to consider making a final year-end gift in any amount. Also please consider sharing the HOPE 4 Youth story with others who may want to support our work. This year, you can even make a gift in honor of a loved one and we will provide you with a card to give them. How easy is that?!?
I look forward to partnering again with all of you in 2017, and am confident that we will draw upon the strength of our collective efforts to help us continue changing young lives next year and beyond.
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In This Issue
Letter From the Executive Director
There's No Place Like HOPE for the Holidays ... Unless You Have a Place to Call Home!
HOPE Place: The Doors Are Open
HOPE 4 Youth Program Highlights
Community Partner Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
How HOPE 4 Youth Helps
HOPE 4 Youth Needs
Upcoming Events
Event Wrap-Up
December Community Partners
HOPE 4 Youth in the News
HOPE 4 Youth Staff/ Board of Directors
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There's No Place Like HOPE for the Holidays ... Unless You Have a Place to Call Home!
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For many young people experiencing homelessness there are no warm meals with family around a table; presents surrounding a decorated tree; or a permanent place to lay their head. We know that the holidays are not necessarily a happy time for many of the youth and we work hard to bring holiday cheer to them.
This holiday season, we are excited to share that for several of the young people who have walked through our doors there at home for the holidays. They are now independently living in their own apartments right here in our own backyard and several others are able to call HOPE Place home – the best gift any of them could have received this year.
It was one of the most fulfilling moments of my career when I delivered the news to homeless youth that they would soon be calling HOPE Place home for the holidays. You could hear the joy as well as disbelief in their voices when they learned that they were going to be moving into their own apartment. One youth even asked if they could bring their clothes or just a bag. It will take time for it to sink in that HOPE Place is now their home.
We have also been moving youth at the Drop-In Center from homeless to housed. It takes an entire community to make this happen and we are fortunate that HOPE 4 Youth staff and volunteers are able to partner with other organizations, especially the YMCA, to ensure that housing is no longer a dream, but rather a reality for the youth.
The three youth pictured at the left now have a home for the holidays. They all have similar stories - employed but forced to sleep on couches, in motels, in cars and even on the streets. They also all came to HOPE 4 Youth looking for help so that they could leave their status of homeless in their past. And sure enough, they have!
HOPE 4 Youth has been there for every step of their journey and will continue to be there to support them until they no longer need us. Miranda (pictured top) and Jason (pictured middle) both reiterated that this was the best gift they could have ever received, with Miranda adding that her daughter has a home for the holidays!
With the new year upon us, We are excited to continue finding housing for more young people experiencing homelessness; hoping that one day they will all be housed.
Enjoy the Place that You Call Home this Holiday Season!
- Sara Kemp, Director of Programs & Properties
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HOPE Place: The Doors Are Open!
The doors to HOPE Place finally opened on December 5 and members of the community were able to get a glimpse of the only transitional housing for homeless youth in the north metro area.
It was a day filled with tears of happiness. Many people who attended our Community Open House found that was the only way they were able to express what HOPE Place will now mean to the youth who call it home; no more sleeping on couches, in cars or on the streets. This
will allow them to break through the barriers that have kept them homeless and allow them to look towards a bright future.
The 12 young people, ages 18-25, will live in their own studio apartment for 12-24 months while they work to become independent adults. Besides the apartments, there is a fitness room, laundry facilities, community room, snack kitchen, study and offices.
The doors opened just in time to bring the first young people home for the holidays. The excitement on their faces when they walked into their new homes said it all - "I am home."
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HOPE 4 Youth Program Highlights
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- HOPE 4 Youth is celebrating the holidays with the youth this week. Santa will be bringing his jolliness to the Drop-In Center so that the youth and their children can visit with him. They will also be receiving gift bags that were generously donated by members of the community.
- The youth continue to visit HOPE Clinic to meet their health needs, something that often isn't a first priority in their lives. Livio Health Group is an amazing partner and we are looking forward to expanding our partnership in the new year by possibly adding clinic days should the need arrive.
- Case Manager Eddie has been braving the cold while doing outreach in the community - visiting Northtown Mall, downtown Anoka and Columbia Heights. He carries small survival bags that include socks, hand-warmers and other basic needs and gives resource information to homeless youth. Recently two youth that he met during his outreach came into HOPE 4 Youth and one is now out of the cold at a local shelter. Outreach is essential in the extreme cold to make sure the youth are safe and have somewhere warm to go.
- Case Manager Naomi has been doing outreach in the Anoka/Hennepin School District connecting with school social workers so that the homeless youth in the district are aware of the resources available to them. Social workers have toured the Drop-In Center to see first-hand how we help and we have been giving them hats, gloves and jackets for students who do not have any. Naomi also attends the GSA to connect attendees to services in the community for support.
- Drop-In Center Holiday Hours: HOPE 4 Youth will be closed on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) and Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) as well as Dec. 31 (New Year's Eve) and Jan.1 (New Years Day); the Holidays fall on the weekend and the Drop-In Center is not open on weekends.
- Donations Center Holiday Hours: The Donations Center will also be closed, not open for donation drop-off, on Sat., Dec. 24 and Sat., Dec. 31.
- Financial donations will be accepted on the holiday weekends at HOPE Place only. Please contact ljacobson@hope4youthmn.org to arrange a time to bring the donation over.
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Community Partner Spotlight: Target Volunteer Council
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The Volunteer Council at
Target Corporate Headquarters
left us speechless on December 7 when we needed to rent not one, but two Uhauls to transport more than 4,250 lbs of water, food, clothes, hygiene and other basic necessities to the Drop-In Center for the youth.
The volunteers spent from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. packing more than 600 bags of food and 1,000 winter survival kits and even hand made cards with well wishes for each youth that visits the Drop-In Center. Our Community Engagement Manager, Cheri, was with them the entire time and it reinforced for her why she loves our community of supporters and working for HOPE 4 Youth.
Cheri made a trip back to headquarters last week to load a third Uhaul with more than 650 lbs of new men's and women's underwear that they donated for the youth.
There are no adequate words to describe how we feel so we will just say, "Thank you for your generosity, Target!"
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Volunteer Spotlight: Paul Ekstrom
Paul Ekstrom is a man of many words, yet when he walked through the doors of HOPE Place and saw the “The Paul Ekstrom Realty Team Welcome Center,” he was left without words. This man, who spent countless hours scouting the perfect location, obtaining approval from the City of Coon Rapids, looking over blueprints and design elements and overseeing the work of many contractors, was integral to bringing the first 12 young people home. HOPE Place was a dream that he had since shortly after the doors of the Drop-In Center opened. Now that dream is a reality.
Paul, President of The Paul Ekstrom Realty Team, has been involved with HOPE 4 Youth since the beginning – three years on the housing committee and two years on the Board of Directors. He was first introduced to the organization at a Keller Williams Realty office meeting. A week later he visited the Drop-In Center for a tour and was so moved by the mission that he signed on to be part of the family.
During his time as a volunteer, he has seen HOPE 4 Youth impact the lives of homeless young people. “HOPE 4 Youth has given many of the youth a second chance, a new direction, because of the services that we provide them.,” He said. “HOPE Place is a game changer that is going to allow us to do even more.
Once Paul found his voice, he described feeling a huge sense of relief, satisfaction and excitement all rolled into one. “I can’t believe we pulled it off perfectly,” he added.
Paul would like to thank to Lisa Jacobson, HOPE 4 Youth Executive Director, Jeff Genser, General Contractor, Jeff Hafferman, Architect, HOPE 4 Youth Board Members, Brian Swanson and John Sitarz, Heartland Tire President, Dave Mitchell, and everyone else who helped make HOPE Place become the premier homeless youth transitional housing facility in Minnesota!
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Every day, we see 30-40 young people (ages 23 and under) come through our Drop-In Center doors. We work hard to help these young people by meeting their most basic needs such as: a nutritious meal, food from our food pantry, basic hygiene products, clothes from our clothing closets, a hot shower and laundry facilities.Then we help put them on a path towards a bright future by securing housing, finding jobs, finishing school and accessing on-site health and wellness services.
When the doors of the Drop-In Center close, many of the youth find themselves couch-hopping or back on the streets. The only way to change this is to provide long-term housing solutions. That is why we opened
HOPE Place, the first transitional housing for youth in the north metro Twin Cities. Twelve young people at a time will call HOPE Place home while they develop the skills needed to leave their status of homelessness behind them.
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There are many opportunities to help us meet the needs of homeless young people and donating money or items is one way of doing so. At the end of the year, we always ask for monetary donations so we can finish the year out strong. If you are able to donate money, please do so
here.
If you are not able to donate money, but can donate items, please check out our
Top Needs for our Drop-In Center as well as our
Amazon Wish List for HOPE Place, which provides budget relief.
While you're at it, why not get your network involved by holding a donation drive? You could ask for items on our Top Needs List and Amazon Wish List or bottled water. We even have a scavenger hunt on our website for kids to get in the fun! To learn more, contact our Donations Team at donations@hope4youthmn.org.
P.S. Don't forget to use Amazon Smile (select HOPE 4 Youth as your charity) when shopping on Amazon! By shopping Amazon Smile, a percentage of your total purchase is donated back to HOPE 4 Youth.
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Upcoming Events
- Chain of Lakes Christmas Eve Gift Card Drive
Saturday, December 24; 5 p.m.
10130 Davenport St Ne #160
Blaine, MN
During the holiday season we are reminded of all the blessings that we have … however, there are many young people in our community who do not share the same blessings, especially the blessing of a warm home. On Christmas Eve, Chain of Lakes Church will be helping bring blessings to the young people who do not have a permanent home by collecting gift cards for HOPE 4 Youth – they will also match the amount collected up to $5,000.
- Mellem Family Christmas Light Display
Now - Christmas Day; 5-9 p.m.
1662 145th LN NW
Andover, MN
The Mellem Christmas Light Display is once again bringing joy to everyone who sees it, as well as to the young people who visit the Drop-In Center by collecting food for the food pantry.
- Raise the Roof
Now - Wednesday, Dec. 28
HOPE Place Needs A New Roof! Please help us Raise the Roof before staff and members of the Board of Directors go up on the roof, in the cold, on December 28th to raise awareness about the need – $94,000. Donate Today!
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Chain of Lakes Church bagged groceries at Cub Foods Blaine on Dec. 3 and raised $1,500 for HOPE 4 Youth. Fantastic job ladies and gentleman!
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The
OK Factor played a concert at
Chain of Lakes Church on Dec. 4 and donated a portion of the proceeds to HOPE 4 Youth. If you haven't listened to these talented ladies, you must do so!
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December Community Partners
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Thank you Chris Stewart, #7, and wife, Holley, for giving back to the youth at HOPE Place.
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Thank you
Medtronic employees for collecting $1,940 in cash and gift cards.
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Thank you RCIS for raising $4,613.20 during your
Wall of Hope and other events.
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- Season of Giving Back: Wild forward Chris Stewart remembers where he came from, wants to help young adults in same position – NHL.com, Dec. 19, 2016
- Chris Stewart lending a hand for HOPE – NHL.com. Dec. 15, 2016
- Real Estate Radio Hour presented by Preferred Home Team – WCCO Radio, Dec. 10, 2016
- ‘HOPE Place’ Opens for Homeless Youth in Coon Rapids – CTN, Dec. 9, 2016
- New Living Facility Opens for Homeless Youth – North Metro TV, Dec. 8, 2016
- Housing for homeless youth now open – ABC Newspapers, Dec. 7, 2016
- Apartments for homeless youths open in Coon Rapids – Star Tribune, Dec. 7, 2016
- Homeless shelter for youth opens in Coon Rapids – WCCO News, Dec. 5, 2016
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HOPE 4 Youth Staff
Lisa Jacobson, Executive Director
Joyce Finch, Development Associate
Cheri Halek, Community Engagement Manager
Sara Kemp, Director of Programs & Properties
Jane Schipper, Finance Manager
Kristin VanHeel, Marketing & Comm. Director
Naomi M., Case Manager
Eddie R
., Case Manager
Barb Justbarb , Receptionist
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HOPE 4 Youth Board of Directors
Brian Swanson, Chairman, Vice President of Quality and Enterprise Excellence at NACS, Inc.
Bridget Barr, Business Analytics Specialist at Meritain Health and Aetna Company
Paul Ekstrom, President at The Paul Ekstrom Realty Team (Keller Williams Classic Realty)
Na'im Madyun, Associate Dean of Undergraduate and Diversity Programs at University of Minnesota
Sarah Nohner, Financial Controller at
Graco
Paula Rak, Senior Vice President
at Wells Fargo
Jerry Streich, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for City of Andover
James Stuart, Anoka County Sheriff
John Sitarz, Senior Financial Services Rep. at Principal Financial Group
Anita Tuch, Vice President of Operations at Medtronic Neuromodulation, PLC
Susan VanVoorhis,
Assoc. Vice President & Univ. Reg. at University of Minnesota
Katherine Wagoner, Di
rector of Membership Engagement at Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
Sue Woodard, President and CEO at Vantage Production
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763.323.2066
2665 4th Avenue North | Suite 40
Anoka, Minnesota 55303
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