Letter to the Community
Dear Friends: With your support, Avenues achieved the following results during the 2007-08 fiscal year:
- Provided emergency shelter and short-term housing to 133 homeless youth -- 92 youth participated in the short-term housing program and 41 youth used the overnight emergency bed for at least one night. All numbers are unduplicated.
- Matched 8 youth who identify as GLBT with volunteer host homes who were recruited and trained by the GLBT Host Home Program.
- Increased the average length of stay to 60 days, resulting in more youth exiting to stable homes and achieving measurable personal goals.
- Provided case management guidance to 100% of the youth as they developed and pursued their goals for education, employment, housing and healthcare.
- Implemented an On-Site Health Consultation, increasing youth access to mental health and physical health services. All youth see a Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner at Avenues within 48 hours of arrival.
While living at Avenues, 100% of the youth are in school, working or both. Fully half of the youth who live at Avenues leave after an average of 60 days for transitional or permanent housing. With our support, those youth moved from homelessness (couch -hopping or living on the streets) and into an apartment or living with a relative.
Avenues' role is to provide a safe and supportive home environment within which homeless youth may first find stability, then dream about their goals and pursue a plan to achieve their goals. By doing this, youth who participate in our programs are much more likely to fully participate in all that is possible in our community.
We couldn't do this without you. Thank you for your continued support of Avenues for Homeless Youth.
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Deborah Loon
Interim Executive Director
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Highlighted Staff Profile:
Raquel (Rocki) Simoes, Program Manager
In January 2007, Rocki helped relaunch the GLBT Host Home Program at Avenues for Homeless Youth and remains the HHP Manager. Rocki has also recently become Program Manager at Avenues, with responsibility for the shelter and the GLBT Host Home Program.
What makes Avenues for Homeless Youth special to you?
Well, in addition to being a much needed resource for homeless youth, it brought the GLBT Host Home Program back to life in 2007 (under the guidance of Amy Snyder)!
As Avenues Program Manager what are the biggest rewards and challenges that come with the position?
Oh, goodness... The biggest reward, as cliched as it might sound, is working more closely with a greater number of youth. Another reward is simply being part of a community that is invested in changing and improving how social services gets done, in creating a healing place for youth to live in.
We also want to more deeply explore how our Avenues community can help bring about social justice, how we can be linked to a bigger movement to end homelessness and create a better Minnesota for the youth that we serve. And that, my friends, is also a challenge!
What do you see for the future of homeless youth?
I see a whole lot of people out there, locally and nationally, making a commitment to address what is happening in our communities. From opening their homes to young people who need them, to going to work everyday and advocating for and with youth, to looking at white privilege and racism and their connection to homelessness. There is a movement out there and young people are a big part of it.
What is something funny that people don't often know about you?
There is nothing funny about me :)
What is something that you are thankful for?
Being here (and I don't mean just Avenues). And rice krispie treats.
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How You Can Help
Happy Halloween
It's that time of year again when the trick-or-treaters and the jack-o-lanterns fill the neighborhoods. At Avenues, we like to celebrate holidays and occasions with the youth who live here. And you can help!
If you, your family or office would like to donate gift bags for our youth filled with items from the "immediate wish list" (to the right of this article) contact Heather Rist, heather@avenuesforyouth.org.
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Thanks!
Thank you to our supporters during the month of September!
Organizations -- Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Minnesota Association for Justice, Otto Bremer Foundation, RBC Dain Rauscher Foundation, Target Foundation
Individuals -- Michelle & Neville Basman, Amy Doll-Wohlers, Yvonne Flaherty, Brian GIlligan, Joan Kennedy, JoMarie Morris, Steven Peterson, Deborah Rosenstein, Steven & Carrie Siegel, Rick Kelber & Sharon Vandyck, Lisa Zaragoza
In-Kind Donations -- Don Brewer & Tom Mootz, Eileen Bujold, Minnesota Association for Justice, JoMarie Morris, Pediatric Home Services, Kristen Rice, Rick Kelber & Sharon Vandyck
Volunteers -- Don Brewer, Roxann Collins, Avenues' Board of Directors, GLBT Host Home Advisory Counsil
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About Us
Avenues for Homeless Youth provides emergency shelter, short term housing and support services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. Through such service, Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and find a positive transition into young adulthood.
At its North Minneapolis house, Avenues has 15 shelter beds and 1 emergency bed for youth ages 15 to 21. Youth receive basic needs services, including three meals per day, personal hygiene supplies, clothing and bus passes. While at Avenues, all youth work with our case managers to develop and pursue their individual goals of education, employment, housing, mental health and physical wellness.
Avenues also operates the GLBT Host Home Program, a community-based program that provides safe, supportive homes for homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. For more information on the GLBT Host Home Program contact Raquel (Rocki) Simoes: 612.522.1690, hosthome@avenuesforyouth.org
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News / Updates Minnesota Association for Justice: Thank You
At its annual conference, MnAJ raised money for new washer and dryer sets at Avenues.
MnAJ also put on a successful third annual BBQ at Avenues for our youth, staff and board (in spite of the rain).
To all of the members of the Minnesota Association for Justice, who so graciously donate to Avenues throughout the year, we want to say thank you.
Sidewalks
Saving Lives
Intergenerational Arts & Public Health HIV/AIDS Prevention Initiative
Last Saturday, September 27, the sidewalk in front of Avenues for Homeless Youth was transformed through art into a powerful message of HIV/AIDS prevention. The art was designed and painted by Avenues youth, staff and community members as part of a larger North Side community project.
GLBT Host Home Program Informational Session
If you or someone you know wants to learn more about the GLBT Host Home Program or being a host, plan to attend one of two informational sessions in the month of October. Go to the GLBT Host Home Page for more information on these sessions.
GLBT Host Home Program Brochure
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Immediate Wish List
- Bus passes/tokens in $10 increments
- Target gift cards
- Phone "calling" cards
- Deodorant (Male & Female)
- Tampons
- Socks (Male & Female)
- Towels and washcloths
- Boxers (L, XL, XXL) & female underwear (L, XL, XXL)
- Back packs
- Hair grease
- Conditioner and shampoo
- Hair binders, picks and brushes
To view our newly updated wish list, click on the link below to be directed to the "How You Can Help" page on our website and then click on the wish list link on the right. View Our Full Wish List
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 "We Couldn't Live at Home" Exhibit May 3 - October 6, 2008 Minnesota History Center 345 Kellogg Blvd. W Saint Paul, MN The exhibit showcases the life and stories of youth who have lived at 1708 Oak Park Avenue North since 1933. MHS "We Couldn't Live at Home" exhibit |
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