Ready for back to school?

AveNEWS | August 2019

It Takes You To House A Youth

6,000 youth in Minnesota don't have a stable home tonight. Together, we can change that. A gift of $84 provides one youth with a week of intensive support.

DONATE NOW

Upcoming Events

See what's happening this month by click here.

Join Our Team

We're currently hiring for these positions:

Grant Writer
Finance and Administration Director
Licensed Mental Health Therapist
Youth Support Specialists

Learn More Here

Gratitude This Month

Target volunteers spent the after noon at Minneapolis Avenues this month. The group helped weed and landscape the yards, keeping our building looking great this summer! Thank you, Target!

Thank you Walden University volunteers for spending the day with us! Our yard is looking great because of you!

Shout out to our awesome individual volunteers who show up for youth experiencing homelessness on a continuous basis. We appreciate you!, Tom and Nicole Hayes, Rose Ahmann, Krystil Rose, Kim Dudgeon, Audra Kincart

and Myron Goodman!

Thank you Kente Circle for sponsoring some of Avenues staff and youth to take part of your event! The two day discourse on embracing racial consciousness is about, "How we can develop practices that allow us to embrace racial consciousness” as we continue to lean into the struggle of racial oppression.

You Made Us Ready To Go Back To School

This month volunteers packed 68 backpacks full of essential school supplies for youth at Avenues! Every youth going back to school will receive a bag and we'll have enough bags for youth entering our programs later in the school year.

Thank you Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and your youth group for hosting our backpack assembly event! The youth group of Prince of Peace was looking for a way to give back to youth, and organized the event.

Thanks to them and generous donors, our youth are ready to go back to school this month!

Join The Avenues Allies

Your faith, work or civic group has an new opportunity to engage with Avenues on a deeper level. Consider becoming an Avenues Ally!

Avenues Allies commit to enriching the lives of youth experiencing homelessness through meaningful opportunities through out the year.

Allies have four focus areas during the year:

1) Volunteerism

2) Education

3) Essential Supplies Collection

4) Donation

Allies will gain understanding on why youth experience homelessness, advocate for equity, and show up in life changing ways. Allies commit to four quarterly focuses that make a impact on youth homelessness.

Anyone can be an Avenues Ally, but this campaign is focused on groups. This is a great opportunity for churches, youth groups, corporate partners, business groups and civic groups who want to make a long term commitment to youth experiencing homelessness.

For more information, contact Marni Zimlin at mzimlin@avenuesforyouth or 612-844-2005.

We'll Miss You, P eter!

It's with mixed feeling that we share that Peter Fischer, Avenues Finance and Administration Director of twelve years, is moving on from Avenues to join Face to Face. Peter has been with Avenues through thick and thin, coming to Avenues during a time that the organization wasn't financially stable. It's safe to say that Avenues is thriving and financially stable today in part thanks to Peter's work.

Peter reflects on his time at Avenues, from the first year to now: There was a time (at Avenues) when we had to suspend services because we weren’t financially viable. That was in 2005 and I came on in 2007. At the point in time Avenues was in a financially unstable position. The financial statements hadn’t been done since February, the auditors were coming in at the end of June, and the books were a bit of a mess. It was a bit a disarray.

When I started we weren’t using Second Harvest Heartland for food. In that first full year I was there, I developed a really strong relationship with them that saved us about $40,000 a year from buying food. That made the difference for us surviving or not.

Deb Loon did a lot of great work. It was very much a team effort of us working together. But those were some of the first things I could do on the temporary basis, and Deb was able to focus on long term stability. I just got us enough space so that she could start fundraising.

Within my first three years we were on solid ground again. By the end of my full third year we had enough surplus in the bank and had enough connections that we were able to create a board reserve. We has extinguished all debt at that time, were current on all our bills, and were definitely financially stable.

It was seven or eight years ago when growth happened (when Avenues expanded programs). We had turned the corner and opportunities started coming it. Avenues kind of took off from there.

If you’re going to go out, go out on top. We’re thriving and we’ll continue to thrive. Avenues means a whole lot to me. It some ways it’s a little bit of my heart and soul. It’s been a great run.

We'll miss you Peter!

Impact Opportunity

Comment On Proposed SNAP Changes

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an essential support for youth families experiencing homelessness in Minnesota. The Trump Administration is currently accepting comments on their proposed SNAP changes that would take away SNAP benefits to 3 million people. Please take take time today to comment on the changes, saying that this program is essential for Minnesota's youth experiencing homelessness.

Example Comment:

Two-thirds of Minnesota youth experiencing homelessness report using food assistant programs. Of the youth who report using food assistant programs, 81% say SNAP is one of the most important supports they receive. The proposed changes are harmful to our community's youth and most vulnerable populations.

Comment on Proposed Changes

Avenues for Homeless Youth | www.avenuesforyouth.org