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To the Avenues Community
Dear Friends -
At the end of January, we celebrated the grand opening of Brooklyn Avenues, our new 12-bed shelter and transitional housing program in Brooklyn Park. We were so proud to start welcoming youth into the program on February 6. I can assure you it's already having an impact on youth and the community.
One area high school's liaison for homeless youth emailed me this week with the following message -- I have to tell you that yesterday I was at Brooklyn Avenues to assist one of my students in getting settled in the emergency bed. I was approached by two young people who said "I know you! I was in your office all of the time." It took me a minute to realize that both of these young people were students that I worked with pretty intensively a couple of years ago. I immediately revisited my former feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that I felt when there was nowhere for each of them to go in their moment of crisis. I remember feeling that I was just sending them out into the great unknown that is homelessness. I can only imagine how they and too many others felt! What a blessing for me to be able to witness the return of these two to their own home community and their new home. Hopefully this return will provide them with all of the resources and proximity that they need to begin the big transition to self-actualization that they so deserve!
Thank you all for supporting the work we do at Avenues for Homeless Youth. Your support truly matters.
Sincerely,
Deborah Loon, Executive Director
1708 Oak Park Avenue North, Minneapolis MN 55411
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BROOKLYN AVENUES:
The Dream is Now a Reality
On Friday, January 30, hundreds of excited supporters braved the winter chill today to help the City of Brooklyn Park and Avenues for Homeless Youth celebrate the grand opening of Brooklyn Avenues, the first shelter for homeless youth to be located in a Twin Cities suburb.
Community leaders and officials from Avenues for Homeless Youth, Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota cut the ribbon on a brand ne
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| | Youth Counselor Services Coordinator, Gwen Gunter (right) with a community member. |
w facility built by the City of Brooklyn Park, which serves as a short-term, supportive home for 12 young people at a time. This program supports youth in the northwest suburbs of Hennepin County experiencing homelessness.
Speakers at the grand opening ceremony included Deborah Loon, executive director of Avenues for Homeless Youth; Brooklyn Park Mayor Jeffrey Lunde; Rev. Steve Larson, Redeemer Covenant Church and chair of the Brooklyn Area Ministerial Association; Mikkel Beckmen, director of the Minneapolis-Hennepin County Office to End Homelessness; Markus Klimenko, program manager of Hennepin County Housing and Homeless Initiatives; Francie Mathis, supervisor of Homeless Programs, MN DHS-Office of Economic Opportunity; Senator John Hoffman, and Rev. Lisa Jacobsen, community leader and chair of the Brooklyn Avenues Action Council.
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| | Mikkel Beckmen, director of the Minneapolis-Hennepin County Office to End Homelessness, addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting. |
The next day, Saturday January 31, Brooklyn Avenues hosted an open house for the community. Over 300 community members stopped by to take a tour of the house.
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| Thank You, Brooklyn Avenues Organizational Donors & Grand Opening Volunteers!
FAITH COMMUNITIES
BAMA: Brooklyn Area Ministerial Alliance, Brookdale Covenant Church, Brooklyn Mosaic United Methodist Church, Brooklyn Park Evangelical Free Church,Brooklyn United Methodist Church, Champlin United Methodist Church, Church of St. Joseph the Worker, Crossroads Alliance Church, Discover Church, Edinbrook Church, Family of God Lutheran Church, Living Word Christian Center, Lord of Life Lutheran Church,Lutheran Church of the Maste, Mosaic United Methodist Church, Northern Light Church of Christ, Osseo United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Redeemer Covenant Church, Servant of Christ Lutheran Church, St. Gerard's Catholic Church, St. Philip's Lutheran Church, St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, The Church of St. Joseph the Worker
Brooklyn Park Prayer Breakfast Organization, Osseo Community Prayer Breakfast, Roof4Youth Campaign
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
Brooklyn Park Lions Club, Brooklyn Park Women of Today, Brooklyn Youth Council, Elks Lodge #44, Knights of Columbus-St. Gerard Council 13001, Osseo Lions Club, Rotary Club of Brooklyn Park, Rotary Club of Crystal-New Hope-Robbinsdale, Rotary Club of Northwest Hennepin County
FOUNDATIONS
Brooklyn Park Community Foundation, Charlson Foundation, Luther Family Foundation, Elks National Foundation, Fingerhut Family Foundation, Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, Park, Nicollet Foundation, Pohlad Family Foundation, Target Foundation, Thrivent Financial Foundation
AREA BUSINESSES
Anixter, City-Country Insurance Agency, Courage Enterprises Corporation, Egan Company, Great Northern Corporation, Mary Ellen Designs, Mills Fleet Farm, Pilgrim Dry Cleaners, Inc., Platinum Staffing, Prillaman Enterprises, Quality Relocation Services LLC, Target, TCF Bank, U.S. Bancorp, VMWare, Wildlife Management Services, Inc.
PUBLIC FUNDING
City of Brooklyn Park Economic Development Authority, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity Homeless Youth Act Funds, Hennepin County, City of Brooklyn Center, City of Brooklyn Park, City of New Hope
BROOKLYN AVENUES GRAND OPENING SERVICE PROJECT VOLUNTEERS
Bob Bazinet, Matt Bazinet, Wanikiya Bearnose, Doug Behrens, Paul Blom, Jon Brandon, Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks, Erin Campbell, Riley Carpenter, Chad Carstens, Tina Carstens, The Church of St. Gerard, Barb Dahlquist, Gene Daley, Roger Dissmeyer, Chuck Dube, Jim Dudgeon, Ron Engh, Nicki Fabozzi, Family of God Lutheran Church, Linda Forkey, Bill Fredrick, Shawn Gensch, Kandy Gerber, Sonya Goins, Bob Goligowski, Lisa Guptill, Tammy Haag, Richard Habstritt, Brent Haglund, Mike Haasl, Naomi Helm, Jody Herzuck, Jane Hilbrands, Tori Hintzman, John Irvin, Lisa Jacobson, Terri Johnson, Natalie Johnson Lee, Adam Josephson
Ed Keller, Helen Kellerman, Knights of Columbus-St. Gerard Council 13001, Candy Kvamme, Nicole Kvamme, Regina Laidlaw, George Larson, Julie Lent, Jack McPhee, Ron Moe, Isaac Norman, Shelby Norman, Gideon Olbekson, Maverick Olbekson, Michael Olson, Christian Opland, Isaac Parupsky, Jeff Parupsky, Ray Phenow, Bunny Primus, Ray Primus, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Merlin Quanrud, Maria Raj, Steve Robach, Jenny Ruffing, Michelle Ruffing, Steve Ruffing, Colton Schaefer, Godson Sowah, Julie Spanier, Winona Spaulding, Jodi Spoden, Missy Stein, Edwin Sweeney, Rochelle Sweeney, Chuck Tombarge, Paul Trescoy, Jacob Valtierra, Jazmine Valtierra, Tatiana Valtierra, Robert Wavinak, Aaleyah Welman, Bill Wermager, Jane Windmeier, Jack Woodcock, Paul Zahalan
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Brooklyn Avenues FAQ Sheet
Brooklyn Avenues is modeled after our Minneapolis Avenues - a 21-bed shelter and transitional living program in North Minneapolis.
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VOLUNTEER AT AVENUES!
Attend an Information Session & Tour to learn about the Avenues mission, programs, and how you can get involved. Take a short tour of the either the Brooklyn Park or Minneapolis Shelter & Transitional Living Program (the information is the same at both locations).
Upcoming Information Sessions & Tours are March 12, March 17, and March 21. Learn more and register at: http://vols.pt/Pdzatf
Please note that you must be over 21-years-old to participate.
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Do you know a young person who is crashing at a friend's place (or maybe your place), and not able to live at home?
Contact one of the Host Home Programs of Avenues for Homeless Youth.
Research suggests that, for young people experiencing homelessness, staying in their home community is critical to helping them complete school, maintain important relationships, and move into a stable young adulthood. But there are limited youth housing programs.
Avenues' Host Home Programs train and support adult volunteers who are willing to host, or are already informally hosting, a young person in their home.
If you would like additional information about the Minneapolis & Suburban Host Home Programs, contact Ryan Berg at 612-522-1690 x 114 or rberg@avenuesforyouth.org.
For information about the GLBT Host Home Program, contact Rocki Simões at 612-968-8771 or rsimoes@avenuesforyouth.org.
This three-minute video shows the difference a host home can make for a homeless young person!
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Connect With Us
Avenues for Homeless Youth
1708 Oak Park Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612.522.1690 phone
612.522.1633 fax
If you would like to make a donation or volunteer, please contact Melissa Peterson via email or at 612-844-2005.
Visit us online:
Facebook and Twitter
 
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Introducing Avenues' Arts Program
 | | Michael Lee performing his spoken word poetr |
Avenues' has recently expanded its Arts Program and set two critical goals - (1) to engage youth with art as a form of healing and (2) to build community in our programs. Through a weekly film viewing and discussion night, a book club and writing workshop, frequent outings to area museums and plays, and a monthly open mic night that features a local artist, Avenues' youth are being exposed to art in its many forms. Through that, the youth are meeting each other on common expressive grounds, sharing similar struggles, developing a collective vision for their community, and experiencing the healing power of art. Avenues' youth counselor Mike Lee and professional spoken word artist, well known in this community for his powerful poem "Shelter," leads the Arts Programming at Avenues. |
A New Range for Minneapolis Avenues!!!
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| | Youth counselor, Michelle Allen, with the new range. |
We would like to extend a very special THANK YOU to the Minnesota Association for Justice for raising the funds necessary to purchase a new range for Minneapolis Avenues. Our previous stove was on its last legs. We did the math and over the last 20 years, nearly 22,000 meals have been prepared on it. Here's to the next 22,000 meals and beyond. We're deeply grateful!
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Community Events for Avenues
On Friday, February 6, Jungle Red Salon & Spa and Seekjoy hosted The Red Affair - a soiree the proceeds of which will go to support the youth at Avenues. Held at The Venue in downtown Minneapolis, Jungle Red and Seekjoy Media Agency pulled out all the stops for a great evening. The event featured performances by child musical prodigy Aiden Coy, the Sounds of Blackness, and spoken word artist and Avenues' youth counselor Michael Lee and Minneapolis City Council Member Jacob Frey addressed the crowd.
On Thursday, February 19, the Rotary Club of Brooklyn Park hosted their annual Wild Game Dinner. Donations made by diners will support Brooklyn Avenues. Over two hundred people attended. Among the many exotic meats serves, dishes of ostrich and turtle were crowd favorites, with iguana being the event's Mystery Meat. Nobody guessed it correctly. They set a goal to exceed last year's donation of $16,000.
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GLBT Host Home Youth Hear Laverne Cox Speak
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| | Left to Right: GLBT Host Home Program Case Manager, Kelly Brazil, Laverne Cox and Roxanne Anderson |
Laverne Cox, star of the Netlfix series Orange is the New Black, spoke at Minnesota State University on February 18. The lecture was sponsored by the University's Women's Center, LGBT Center and Department of Gender and Women's Studies. Staff and youth of the GLBT Host Home Program traveled to Mankato to attend the speech.
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Help Avenues Win a Website Redesign! 
Avenues has been nominated as a candidate for the The Nerdery's Overnight Website Challenge. Click on the image above and add your testimonial in the comment section. The more testimonials we gather the better chance we have of winning a new website!
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Thank You, Recent Supporters!
Organizational Donors
Ameriprise Financial, AT&T, The Beverly Foundation, Bromelkamp Company, The Charlson Foundation, Cuppa Java (Naughty Dog Enterprises Inc), Edina Community Lutheran Church, Fingerhut Family Foundation, Gooddale Family Foundation, Holy Nativity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberty Mutual, Libson Twin City Auto & Truck Parts, Michael & Donna Kaplan Foundation, The Nash Foundation, Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, Inc., TCF Bank - Brooklyn Park, Turner Family Foundation, Twin City Auto
Avenues General Donors
Rachel Abbott, Ben Adamson, Robert Aderhold and Audrey Kingstrom, Kathy Ahlers, Glenn Allenspach, Nate Althoff, Bart Anderson, Luanne Anderson, Michelle Anderson, Anonymous, Anonymous, Brian Antonich, Gordon Apple and Susan Thornton, Cynthia Arends, Eileen Austin, Claire Avitabile, Mr. Frank Babka, Charles Miller and Linda Banks, Grace Bedu, Ms. Kathy Behren, Karen M. Bendtsen, Sandra R. Benedict, Joseph Beranek, Conee Biggs and Carol Meeter, Laura B. Black, Sara Blood, Steven Bloom, Noah M. Bly, Maria Boda, Eve Borenstein and Candace Falk, Carl Bower, Deborah Bowers, Siobhan Brady, Robert & Lesa Brandt, Michael and Carol Bromer, Jeffrey A. Brooks, Darius Brown, Kristen Brown
Timothy Cariolano, Kim Chapman, Stacy Childers, Barbara Christensen, Julie Christensen, Glenn and Nan Corliss, Douglas P. Cornelius, Russell Cowles and Josine Peters, Travis Dahlke, Elizabeth and Brian Dillon, Laura Dinsmore, Rosemary Dolata, Kathleen Donohue, Shawn Dunn, Lily Dzubay, Julie Eidem, Trenton R. Eisenberg, Nadine Engbrecht-Schaff, Patricia Erickson, Richard Evans
John and Jeanine Farrell, Renee Fearing, Diana Fischer, Ivan Fong, Larry and Toni Forsland, Enneth D. Frohman, Stephen Funari, Christi Furnas, Sallie Gaines, Jane Galbraith, Robert Gamble, Rachel Garton, Clarice Gensch, Gabriel Gerring, Eric Gilseth, Barbara L. Golden, Thomas Gratz, Julie Graves, Pamela Greene, Ryan Guenveur
Barbara J. Hamilton, Grace Hanson, Hilary Hauser, Mitzi Heath, Andy Hein, Emily Helgerson, Lee Henderson, John and Carol Hendrickson, Scott Henrich, Todd Hesselink, Kirstin Hibbard, Richard J. Hilber, Carolyn Hill, Catherine Hintz, Kathryn E. Hofstad, Paul Hogrefe and Jim Sauder, Tristan Hoole, Karen Hopps, Bonita Horishnyk, Abra M. Hovgaard, Allyssa and Anthony Hughes, Thomas A. Burger & Mark S. Iezek, Wendy Ivins, Jason Iwasko
Stephen James, Jenny Javitch, Mark Richardson and Barbara Jo Jeanetta, Adam Jeffers, Elizabeth Jeska, Braden Jeunesse, Antonette Johnson, Bruce E. Johnson, Daniel Jones, Todd D. Jones, Emily Kampa and Laura Thompson, Janet Kampf, Amy Kaufenberg-Satre, Brenda Kayzar, Leslie Kiheri, Lydia T Kihm, Paula J Kilian, William & Mary Joy Kinney, Kari and Tom Kleven, Douglas Knowlton, Richard Koniar, Michael Kooiman, Crystal Kory, Christopher Kraus and Christopher Wilson, Naomi Kritzer, David Macmillan and Judith Krow, Rebecca L. Krueger, Timothy Kryzer, Tineka Kurth, Sheila Lais, Carole Lake, Anna Lamb, Deb S. Lande, Maury and Julie Landsman, Alejandra Lang, Kenneth Lawrence, Ellen Lees, Dana Levinson, Mary Jo K. Lewis, Mary Linden, Phillip and Madeleine Lowry, Lesya Lucyk, Julie Ludowese, Laura Lundquist
Kathy Mahoney, Jennifer Martin, Louise Mattson, Denise McAllister, Jane McBride and Jennifer Nagel, Tracey McCoy, Stephen and Nancy Michael, Cynthia Miller, James Miller, Jane M. Miller, Thomas Miller, Victoria Miller, Randy Miranda, Jason Moore, Thomas Moran, David Morrison, Lisa Nelson, Maggee Nelson, James Nepp, Brian Ness, Sandra and Andrew Ness, Aaron Dossett, Chad R. Nosbusch, Joseph Novak, Chelsea Ogren, Brian Ohman, Deborah O'Keefe, Sandra H. Overland, John Owens
Letta Page, Hannah Palmer, Narrah Palmquist, Jeanne Parsons, Shelli Pate, Mabel Pearson, James J. Pedric, Mike and Ella Pelican, Gerald Pelofske, Lora and Peter Pesheck, Brady Pettis, Jen Pfeffer-Dittes, Jeanne M. Pietrini, Regine Prenzel-Guthrie, Joy Quinlivan, Autumn Quinones, Jeanne Rahe, Harvey and Barbara Ratner, Peter Raynor and Karen Rowehl, Christine A. Rehm, Emily L. Resseger, Marty Reynolds-Ohana, Michael Rice, Brian Richter, Nancy Rickmyer, Don A. Rizzardi, Lynn M. Rizzardi, Lori Robinson, Deborah Roesler and John Kephart, Kjirsten Roisen, Amos Rosenbloom and Marsha McDonald, Michael Russell, Lauren Ruth,
Kian Sabeti Carretta, Brian Salami, Julie Schanzenbach Canham, Linda Scharlatt, Jacqueline Schendel, Andrew Schleif, Dan Schueller, Richard Schultz, Ross Scott, Elizabeth Sheehy, Janet G. Shockley, Michael and Tonia Shupien, Kyle and Katie Solstad, Hannah Stael von Holstein, Amber Statz, Scott Steen, Lyle D. Steinfeldt, George Stevens, Sharon Stevens, Don and Leslie Stiles, Carole Strelow, Ryan L Stroschein, Bryan Stuart, Karen Stuhlfeier, Kim Sueoka, Patricia Swanson, Steve Swedberg, Barbara L. Taft, Cindy Taintor, Ruddi Tamakloe, Keith Tanski, Cristina Thomas, Sally Thomas, Brandon J. Thompson, Jack Thompson and Brian Forney, Janet Traczyk, Dean Tsantir
Sharon Van Dyck and Richard Kelber, Dave Verban, Erika Wachholz, Phyllis Ware, Bradley Weber, Martin Weems, Miriam Weinstein, Stephen Weiss, Alexander Westberg, Nancy Westerberg, Kathryn Wetzel Mastel, Randall Wilke, Heather Wilkie, Lynn Willenbring, Jeffrey W. Wilson, Jack Woodcock, Peter Yackel and Alison Morse, Wade Zick, Craig Zimanske, Carla Zummak-Fredrick
Brooklyn Avenues
Edward and Beth Ampe, Anonymous Family Fund of the Catholic Community Foundation, Jean Anne Beal, Nancy J. Briggs, Brooklyn Mosaic United Methodist Church, Brooklyn Park Women of Today, Brooklyn United Methodist Church, Thea G. Bruley, The Church of St. Gerard, Thomas and Patricia Cooley, Crossroads Alliance Church, Discover Church,
Family of God Lutheran Church, Georgia Forfor, Laurine Forfor, Judy M. Grams, Vicki Gravelle, Great Northern Corporation, Donald L. Hill, Mary L. Kappel, Mary and Donald Karas, Merna M. Kingsley, John and Gwendolyn Klaesges, Robert and Carol LaFrenz, George M. Linkert, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Stephanie M. Maks, Duayne and Dianne Malewicki, Karla J. Miller, Barb Montgomery, Charles and Katherine Nelson, Sheila Nesbitt
Osseo Community Prayer Breakfast, Osseo Lions Club, Osseo United Methodist Church, Otto Bremer Foundation, Jennifer and Arthur Partridge, Keith Peterson, Mary Schneider and Matthew Fair Jones, Servant of Christ Lutheran Church, Stephen J. Simpson, Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church, Arlene K. Swanson, Geri M. and R. B. Timperley, Delvin and Jo Anne Wilkinson, Barbara L. and John W. Wilson, Thomas and Patricia Yencho
GLBT Host Home Program Donors
N. Jeanne Burns and Elizabeth Oppenheimer, Thomas A. Grupa, The John Larsen Foundation, Michael Muehlbach and Kim Johnson, Eldora E. Pearson, Patricia Svendsen and Doreen Dazenski, Lee Thomas, Tim Zehta
Tributes in Celebration
Walt and Lynnne McIver's 50th Wedding Anniversary Jean Beal, Nancy Briggs, Donald Hill, Jennifer Partridge, Barbara Wilson
Paul Blom, Brian Gilligan, and Chuck Tombarge Dan and Wendy Dobres and the Terry & Sam D. Roth Philanthropic Fund
Nicole and Dan Brackin and Family
Randy Miranda
Family of God Lutheran Church "Our Town" Performance George Linkert
Friends and Family Regine Prenzel-Guthrie
Brian Gilligan and Steve Pospisil
Joy Quinlivan
Nicholas Greene
Pamela Greene
Tristan Hoole's Bar Mitzvah
Miriam Weinstein
Jenny Javitch
Dana Levinson
Andrew Jeska
Elizabeth Jeska
Deborah Loon
Lydia T. Kihm
Jennifer McVann
Dave Verban
Hope McCraken
Thomas J. Moran
My Nam Vet
Debra L. Bishop
Staff of Avenues
Paul R. Blom
Chuck Tombarge
Julie Christensen
Ed Zappa
Deborah Roesler
Tributes in Memory
Tesfaye Getachew Negash
The Family of Getachew Negash
Sister Laurice
The Church of St. Joseph the Worker
Thelma J. Thornton
Gordon Apple and Susan Thornton
In-Kind Donations
Annex Teen Clinic, Naomi Arnold, Avionté Hope Foundation, Debra L. Bishop, Brand Name Deals, Chris Cater, Church Of The Holy Name, CORAM CVS/Specialty Infusion Services, CrossWinds Community Church Youth Group, Steve and Nancy Daniels, Caroline Devinck, Stacey Eidsvold, Ronald Engh, First Christian Church (DOC), Girl Scouts Rivers Bend Service Unit, John and Joan Haldeman, Alicia Hall
Jack Link's Beef Jerky, Lisa and John Jacobson, Jungle Red Salon, Deborah and Jon Loon Stumbras, Eleanor Martenson, Monica Miles, Minneapolis Altruistic Services Society (MASS), Minnetonka United Methodist Church Youth, Northern Light Church of Christ, Gayle Primozich, Rainbow Foods, Suzi Rausch, Ruth Circle from Family of God Lutheran Church, Marilyn Saclolo, Second Harvest Heartland, David Shea, St. Philip's Lutheran Church, Rochelle Sweeney, U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, Valley Estates Neighborhood
Volunteers
Roxanne Anderson, Kojo Baafi, Sara Blood, Paul Bloom, Robert Brandt, Angie Brown, Katie Burgess, Erin Campbell, Wendy Darst, La'Niya Dixon, Ron Engh, Linda Forkey, Shawn Gensch, Eric Gilseth, Rachelle Haroldson, Jenny Javitch, Natalie Johnson Lee, Heidi Johnson McAllister, Andrea Knoll, Michael "Doobie" Kurus, Kate Nilan Uding, Doris Pagelkopf, Sol Ras, Pete Raynor, St. Theresa's Catholic Parish, Andrea Seeger-Friesen, Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Godson Sowah, Rochelle Sweeney, Marney Thomas, Chuck Tombarge, Twin Cities Human Rights Campaign, Coya White Hat-Artichoker, Claire Wilson, AsaleSol Young
Thank you, donors and supporters! You are the fuel that makes Avenues run. Your gifts directly support our youth.
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