Building community one host home at a time

Transcription

1 Help Minnesota s homeless youth Building community one host home at a time mpls_hhp_ indd 1 8/30/2012 7:38:30 PM

2 THE NEED 2500 youth are homeless and on their own every night in Minnesota. An estimated 500 of them are from Minneapolis. I hope that my work makes people think about the importance of community in a world that seems to be increasingly individualistic. Michael Birawer, Twin Cities Artist Homeless youth need safety, support from caring adults, and a place to call home. They need the chance to heal, discover their confidence and sense of self-worth, and plan for their future. We call on the residents of Minneapolis to provide safe and supportive homes for the city s homeless youth! THE PROGRAM The Minneapolis Host Home Program is a community and volunteer-based approach to caring for some of our city s homeless youth. The mission of Avenues for Homeless Youth is to provide emergency shelter, short term housing and supportive services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. Through such service, Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood. The program connects homeless youth of Minneapolis with caring adults from their own community who are willing to open their homes and hearts. With this support, youth find stability and safety, build trusting relationships, and have the space to dream about and plan for their futures. Do you have the capacity to provide lifechanging support to a homeless young person? Do you want to learn more about the Minneapolis Host Home Program? If so, please read on mpls_hhp_ indd 2-3

3 THE MINNEAPOLIS HOST HOME PROGRAM Recruits and screens volunteer adult hosts to provide a bedroom, food and caring support Through caring for others, by serving them through caring, a person lives the meaning of their own life. Milton Mayeroff, author Conducts a 16-hour training, mandatory for all hosts Matches hosts and youth through a youth-driven process Provides ongoing case management support for youth ages Provides ongoing support for hosts Open your heart and your home to a homeless youth! Sharing your home is both challenging and powerful. Opening your home to a homeless youth will change your life, the young person s life and the community s life. The Minneapolis Host Home Program works because of the support, involvement and passion of the Minneapolis community. It empowers the community of Minneapolis to care for its own young persons in need. The program is made possible by members of the Leadership Team, youth, hosts, youth advocates, case managers, volunteers, donors, friends, partner agencies, faith communities, Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, Downtown Improvement District, Heading Home Hennepin and more! With support from hosts and the community, homeless youth can and do move from surviving the streets to thriving young adults. It s really hard to do well in school or at work (let alone plan for your future) when you don t know where you ll find food or a place to sleep. You can make a difference in the life of a homeless young person by providing these basic needs and your caring support. The Minneapolis Host Home Program offers informational sessions throughout the year at locations throughout the Minneapolis community. For a listing of upcoming dates and locations, visit minneapolishosthome.org. Connect with us on Facebook and Like our page for ongoing updates! facebook.com/minneapolishosthomeprogram mpls_hhp_ indd 4-5

4 BE A HOST To become a host, you must: I CAN T HOST RIGHT NOW, BUT WANT TO HELP. 1. Be a nice person who genuinely cares about young people s lives. 2. Have an extra private bedroom for the youth. 3. Be able to supply food to the youth. 4. Be at least 25 years old. 5. Have lived in the Twin Cities for at least one year. 6. Currently live within the city of Minneapolis. 7. Have renters/homeowners insurance. 8. Complete an application packet, including three references. 9. Authorize background checks, which include: MN Dept. of Human Services (BCA) Public Records (i.e. arrest reports) IntelliCorp 10. Complete 1 or 2 interviews with the program manager and a Leadership Team member. 11. Complete the initial 16 hours of host training. 12. Still be a nice person after all of this! Program Contact Information: Deena McKinney, Program Manager [email protected] NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP PHONE NUMBER ADDRESS I would like to: Donate supplies or host a supply drive Volunteer my time Host an event Donate stock Donate money $250 $100 $50 $ Check enclosed Please charge my: Visa MasterCard CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT NUMBER EXPIRATION DATE Please detach and send to: Avenues for Homeless Youth Attn: Marketing & Development Manager 1708 Oak Park Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN To donate securely online, visit givemn.razoo.com/avenues-for-homeless-youth and designate the Minneapolis Host Home Program. Avenues for Homeless Youth is a nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law mpls_hhp_ indd 6-7

5 Each year, Avenues for Homeless Youth provides safe shelter and transitional housing to over 200 homeless youth and young adults through four programs: Shelter & Transitional Housing Program (North Minneapolis) GLBT Host Home Program (Twin Cities metro area) Minneapolis Host Home Program (City of Minneapolis) Suburban Host Home Program (Hennepin County suburbs) Join us on Facebook! Search any of the above and click Like on the program page. You may also follow us on Twitter: Oak Park Avenue North Minneapolis, MN Phone Fax mpls_hhp_ indd 8