Register for Building on Dreams

AveNEWS | January 2021

You Make A Difference

With or without a pandemic, Avenues is here for youth. A gift of $84 provides one youth with a week of intensive support.

DONATE NOW

Join Our Team

We're currently hiring for these positions:

Mental Health Therapist
Assistant Director, Host Home and Collective Housing
Youth Support Specialists, On Call and Part-Time
Data Compliance Coordinator
Database and Development Coordinator

Learn More Here

Gratitude This Month

This month Avenues received a financial gift from Amazon as part of their year end giving to support nonprofits during COVID-19. Thank you, Amazon! And thank you, Abbey Smalley, the Amazon employee who nominated Avenues for this generous gift. Abbey has been supporting Avenues for years and even went through our volunteer program. She nominated Avenues because our shelter, Brooklyn Avenues, makes a difference in her community. Thank you, Abbey and Amazon!

Our friends at Target donated a laptop to Avenues this month! Your donation will be put to good use, especially when youth are learning remotely.

Thanks to our friends at TopLine Federal Credit Union in Maple Grove for hosting a bedding drive for Avenues!

Thank you Edina Community Lutheran Church for making Avenues your mission partner this month!

Thank you Woodbury High School for hosting a fundraiser for Avenues!

Join Us for Building on Dreams on March 23rd

Registration for Avenues' annual Building on Dreams event is now open! Building on Dreams is Avenues' annual fundraiser and a great opportunity for your friends, family, and coworkers to learn about the impact we're making on youth homelessness in Minnesota. You'll hear from a variety of inspiring speakers at Building on Dreams, including our keynote speaker, Rebecca Lucero, the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

Building on Dreams is on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, from 8:00-9:00 a.m. with an optional speed networking event from 7:30-8:00 a.m. We're excited to share that Building on Dreams will be hosted on Whova, a virtual event center that you can attend on your desktop or mobile phone.

The event will be MC'd by Kare 11's Rena Sarigianopoulos and include an expert panel on youth homelessness. Attendees can submit a question for the panel while registering.

To learn more about Building on Dreams, sponsorship opportunities, and how to host your own guests at the event, click here.

Avenues Allies Social Justice Work

Since 2015, Champlin United Methodist Church (CUMC) has been engaging with Avenues and in 2019 became an Avenues Ally. As as Ally, CUMC supports Avenues in a year long commitment with quarterly focuses; learning, volunteering, donating, and in-kind.

Recently, CUMC has been digging deep on the Avenues Allies learning focus with their monthly Social Justice Discussion Group. CUMC and Avenues have been listening to season three of the Scene on Radio, Seeing White Podcast. After each episode the group meets to learn and seek a new lens on what “whiteness” is, how systems and institutions of privilege have shaped our world, and how that impacts people experiencing homelessness, specifically youth at Avenues. It has been a thought-provoking engagement, and showcases how Allies can participate in Avenues’ racial and social justice work.

“We have a better understanding of the causes of youth homelessness. We also have a better appreciation for the courage these young people have as they find ways to finish their education and find stable housing despite all the challenges. We hope that our contributions help Avenues achieve its goal to support youth experiencing homelessness.” - CUMC

Learn more about Avenues Allies by clicking here or by contacting Marni Zimlin at mzimlin@avenuesforyouth.org.

Families in Need of Home

Since 2017, Avenues has been housing and supporting youth-led families who are experiencing homelessness. A third of youth experiencing homelessness are parents themselves. Often, they are separated from their children because of their housing status.

Avenues' Young Families program provides youth and their children with rent subsidies and apartments while families work to increase their education and income. The goal is for families to take over their full rent payments and stay stably housed together. The program supports about ten families a year.

In today's tight housing market, there are few affordable apartments with landlords willing to rent to young families. Often families don't have rental experience. Avenues is looking for rentals in Hennepin County for the program. If you, someone you know, or your faith organization is interested in learning more, click here or contact Elaine Woods, the Young Families Program Manager. ewoods@avenuesforyouth.org.

Impact Opportunity

Fundraising for Avenues - Made Easy!

Did you know that you can set up an online, custom fundraiser for Avenues in under ten minutes? Our peer-to-peer fundraising tools make it easy for you to inspire your friends or workplace to support youth experiencing homelessness. A common fundraiser is to ask for donations in lieu of gifts for a birthday, but you can set up a fundraiser for anything like holidays, weddings, or sporting events.

Learn More