Letter to the Community
Dear Friends:
Volunteerism is alive and well in Minnesota! We are grateful for every single request to volunteer at Avenues. In the article below, you will find a description of volunteer opportunities. If any fits your interests, please call or email us.
While we accept many volunteer offers, we are not able to accommodate all of them. This is because Avenues strives to be a place of safety and stability for youth who have experienced severe trauma in their young lives. To be that, we limit the amount of people involved in their daily lives to those who are trained to support them and with whom they have built trusting relationships.
You make a real difference in the lives of our youth when you make a contribution, offer your tutoring skills, provide the fixings for birthday parties, run a drive for supplies, help deep-clean our kitchen and do our yard work.
Thanks so much for your support.
|
|
Deborah Loon
Interim Executive Director
|
Volunteer Needs at Avenues
If you are interested in volunteering at Avenues for Homeless Youth, please consider the following opportunities:
Services for the Youth --
Tutor. Come to Avenues on a regular basis to offer help with school work, such as math, reading, computer skills and science.
Meal preparation. Prepare a meal off-site and deliver it to Avenues.
Supplies for the Youth--
Collections. Host drives to collect personal hygiene supplies, new undergarments and clothing, new towels and sheets or other items from the Avenues wish list.
Birthday/move-out parties. Sponsor one of our monthly celebrations of youth birthdays and move-outs. Provide food (eg, pizza), cake, beverages and gift cards (eg, Target, Walmart).
Services to support the North Minneapolis House--
Deep-Cleaning. Help us do periodic deep-cleaning of the common areas in the house (kitchen, dining and living rooms, bathrooms, computer lab, etc).
Window washing. This really needs no explanation!
Yard work. Provide regular or occasional yard work, such as mowing lawn, trimming bushes and pulling weeds.
Maintenance and repair. Apply your skills to projects around the house, such as carpentry, plumbing, wall repair and painting.
Services to the Organization--
Board of directors. Become a member of Avenues' board of directors.
Committees. Join one of our committees.
Events. Host a special event to benefit Avenues or attend an event.
If you are interested in one of the above options or have questions about getting involved with Avenues for Homeless Youth, contact Heather Rist, heather@avenuesforyouth.org or 612.522.1690.
|
How You Can Help
Share your holiday with our youth -- prepare a meal.
Food is the center of holiday celebrations around the world -- and at Avenues! We invite you to get involved in our holiday celebrations this year by preparing some or all of one of our upcoming holiday meals.
Avenues is open 365 days a year and many of our youth and staff are here on the holidays. We like to plan and provide bountiful and delicious holiday meals. Your help is needed.
Avenues is looking for individuals, families, groups or restaurants that will commit to preparing and delivering a full meal or just one dish on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If you are interested, contact Heather Rist -- heather@avenuesforyouth.org or 612.522.1690. Make your reservation now!
(Note: Food preparation and delivery does not include serving the meal or eating with the youth.)
|
Youth News
During the 2008-09 fiscal year, Avenues served 130 homeless youth in its shelter and transitional housing program in North Minneapolis. The youth served were:
- 73% ages 18 to 21 and 27% ages 16 to 18
- 53% female, 45% male and 2% trans-gender
- 65% African American, 14% White, 13% Multi-Racial, 2% Asian, 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4% other or not given
Most youth who enter the programs at Avenues are unable to return home. These youth were sent away or left home because of major family conflict, physical or sexual abuse, loss of family housing or illegal drug use in the home. Many youth served have been in the foster care system.
The GLBT Host Home Program served 19 youth during 2008-09 who were:
- 89% ages 18 to 22 and 11% ages 16 to 17
- 37% White, 26% African American, 21% Multi-Racial, 11% Asian
|
| Thanks!
Thank you to our supporters during the month of August!
Organizations -- Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Beverly Foundation, Charlson Foundation, Cub Cares Foundation, Ronald Fingerhut Foundation, Salon D'Pugh
Individuals -- Tim Baldoni, Edward Feinstein, Brian Gilligan and Steve Pospisil, Daniel Homolka and Becky Lokken, Kaitlin Johnson, Joan Kennedy, Ella and Rolland Loon, Jacqueline White and Marcus Waterbury
In-Kind Donations -- Don Brewer and Tom Mootz, Jesse Vally Photography, Second Harvest Heartland, Tara Wilken, Anne Workman
Volunteers -- Kelly Brazil, Blowtorch, Don Brewer, Donna Pugh, Avenues Board of Directors, GLBT Host Home Advisory Council
| |
|
|
|
News/Updates
Avenues' youth clean-up the neighborhood
In August, Avenues' youth and staff did a clean-up of our immediate neighborhood. The clean-up project was created as an opportunity for Avenues' youth to 'give-back' to the community. The youth collected garbage from sidewalks, yards and streets of the neighborhood.
The youth who participated in the neighborhood clean-up then went to ValleyFair last Saturday. The youth had a blast enjoying the last of August at ValleyFair.
Minnesota Association for Justice: Thank You! Yum!
From left: Rochelle Peyton, Carla Ferrucci, Karen Kingsley and Anne Workman.
Minnesota Association for Justice put on a successful fourth annual BBQ at Avenues recently. Youth, staff, board and MnAJ members enjoyed food and fellowship.
The MnAJ supports Avenues throughout the year by raising awareness and funds for items needed at Avenues and for the youth who stay here.
To all of the members of the Minnesota Association for Justice, who so generously donate to Avenues throughout the year, we say thank you.
GLBT Host Home
Program hosting September informational sessions
|
Immediate Wish List
- Backpacks for school
- New Tupperwear (or similar)
- Lockable file cabinets
- Gift cards (eg, Target, WalMart)
- $10 bus passes
View Our Full Wish List |
| About Us
Avenues for Homeless Youth provides shelter and transitional housing with 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 short-term beds and 1 emergency bed for youth ages 16 to 21. Youth receive basic needs and 24 x 7 caring of Avenues staff. While at Avenues, all youth work with case managers to 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.
| |
