HOPE 4 Youth ENews

HOPE 4 Youth ENews

Season of Giving: Ensuring Youth Experiencing Homelessness Are Never Left Out In The Cold Again

Please take a moment to watch the video at the top of this enewsletter. In it, youth describe their experience of sleeping outside, in the cold, on the streets.

As the temperature drops and the coldest months of the year are upon us, HOPE 4 Youth's work of providing pathways to end youth homelessness is essential to keeping youth out of the cold this winter.

"We don't choose to be homeless, but we cannot escape it on our own, but we can, we can, we can with HOPE 4 Youth."

We cannot continue to support these youth on our own, but we can with YOU! Please consider making a meaningful gift to HOPE 4 Youth during this season of giving and help us reach our goal of $210,000 by December 31st.

How can you help? Choose one or two of the options below.

Make a gift on Give to the Max Day and help us win a golden ticket!
Participate in Out of the Cold or support someone who is.
Attend the MN Wild Game on December 12th and help support HOPE 4 Youth as the Wild's Charity Sponsor. (A link to purchase tickets will be shared soon.)
Give online or mail a check to HOPE 4 Youth, 2191 Northdale Blvd. NW., Coon Rapids, MN 55433.

Thank you for your continued support of HOPE 4 Youth. Together, we can ensure that no young person is left out in the cold again.

Make A Gift

Join us on November 14th for the great Minnesota give together - Give to the Max Day! Your gift will send HOPE 4 Youth staff out in the cold to ensure young people experiencing homelessness are never left out in the cold again! Click here to learn more!

Every donation made enters HOPE 4 Youth into a drawing for additional funds via Golden Tickets. Last year, we received a $1,000 Golden Ticket and are hoping to win the $10,000 Gold Ticket this year - the more donations, no mater the size, the more chances we have to win!

Donations can be made as early as today and through the 14th. Please help us reach our $15,000 goal by making a gift via the "button" below.

Give to the Max Gift

Out of the Cold is a community event to raise awareness of what homeless youth often experience while living outside on the streets. Participants can go out in the cold by themselves, with their coworkers, family, neighbors or friends.but they cannot come Out of the Cold until they've reached their fundraising goal.

There are several ways to participate:

Join us at the Kick Off Celebration on 12/6 from 2-8 pm at Invictus Brewing Co.
Host a personal fundraiser to help bring youth Out of the Cold.
Gather with others at the Final Freeze on12/20 from noon-8 pm at the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

Learn More About Out of the Cold

HOPE 4 Youth Named Minnesota Wild Charity of the Month

The Minnesota Wild along with Innovative Solutions have selected HOPE 4 Youth as their Charity of the Month this December.

As the chosen charity, HOPE 4 Youth will be highlighted during the home game on December 12th.

Minnesota Wild and HOPE 4 Youth fans can purchase tickets through a special link (provided soon).

Every ticket purchased through the link will provide $5 to HOPE 4 Youth. Stay tuned for more information about #Wild4HOPE, as well as other hockey related opportunities on December 12th.

HOPE Homes: Paula's Story

HOPE Homes provides support to youth staying with adults they already know, as well as to the adult host. Support includes guidance, problem solving, youth advocacy, mediation and financial assistance. This program continues to make a difference in the lives of many youth, youth like Paula.

Paula was in a bind. She’d been staying with her Grandma’s neighbors in an overcrowded apartment. They’d set a deadline: Paula had to be out in a week. Paula, a 20-year-old high school graduate with a job nearby at a fast food restaurant, called HOPE 4 Youth Drop-In Center. The next day, HOPE Homes Specialist Brenda Pritchard was sitting outside on the steps of the apartment complex, working with Paula to fill out a “Circle Map.” They identified people who were “Always,” “Sometimes” and “Maybe” there for Paula, as well as people she didn’t want in her Circle. Paula’s completed map showed the apartment complex constituted a supportive community for her, so helping Paula stay near her support system—and her new job—became an obvious priority. The limited emergency housing options were further away and Paula didn’t have a car. Read more ...

The first and only Drop-In Center and transitional housing program for youth in the north metro area, HOPE 4 Youth provides a community where all youth feel safe, valued, and supported, while reaching their full potential, youth like Kayla.

My journey with HOPE 4 Youth started 3 years ago when I was 18. My childhood home was foreclosed on and I had nowhere to turn. I was scared. I never thought I would be left without a place to stay. I was struggling with addiction and my mental health. I didn’t have consistent work and I just needed help.

When I went to the Drop-In Center for the first time, I was greeted by smiling faces and open arms. Read more ...

Every Wednesday, Eddie, one of our youth coordinators does outreach work in our community - including all corners of the county - to meet youth experiencing homelessness where they are at, to provide them with basic resources, as well as tell them about our Drop-In Center.

Recently, a young woman, Sienna, came into the Drop-In Center in need of help. "I lost my apartment because it became too expensive," Sienna told Eddie. Eddie asked Sienna, "How did you find out about HOPE 4 Youth?" Sienna responded, "Last Winter I was working at a gas station in Columbia Heights when a man came in to speak with a young man about shelter. Read more ...

HOPE 4 Youth Needs

If you'd like to donate items, please check out our current needs on our Top Needs List. Items can be dropped-off on Wednesdays & Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at our Donations Center (2665 4th Avenue North in Anoka).

You can also shop our Target Wish List or Amazon Wish List - an easy way to donate items that ship directly to HOPE 4 Youth. Don’t forget to use Amazon Smile if you shop on Amazon.

While you're at it, why not consider getting your network involved by holding a donation drive? To learn more, email [email protected] .

hope's closet resale boutique: 100% of profits go to HOPE 4 Youth

Just like the weather, hope’s closet is transitioning from Fall to Winter! Whether you're still in need of Thanksgiving decor for your table or a holiday outfit for an office party, you'll find it at hope's closet .

Stop in today to see how hope’s closet changes daily - many new items added to the boutique daily!

Located: 11350 Aquila Drive North, Suite 905 in Champlin

Hours: Monday – Friday • Noon – 7 PM, Saturday • 10 AM – 2 PM Sunday • Closed

Questions? Visit HOPE4YouthMN.org/hopescloset .

Gala 4 HOPE: "There's No Place Like Home ..."

Thank you for to everyone who joined HOPE 4 Youth in the Land of Oz on Saturday, October 5th, at the Gala 4 HOPE. More than 325 people, including you, helped raise over $160,000 to provide pathways to end youth homelessness.

Kayla captured it best when she said, "I want to thank all of you for supporting an amazing organization that changes the lives of youth in our community. Without you and your continued support, I wouldn't be able to share my successes with you tonight."

Your support of HOPE 4 Youth is changing the trajectory of young lives each and everyday. Thank you for making Gala 4 HOPE a magical evening.