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To the Avenues Community
Dear Friends:
You can help secure an additional $2 million for homeless youth programming in Minnesota! This is not a gimmick. Legislation is pending at the state capitol to provide additional funding through the Homeless Youth Act so more youth can access critical supports, including at Avenues.
Please take 2 minutes to call or email your legislators and ask them to support the 2016 Homeless Youth Act (HF 2767 / SF 2755). Click here to find who represents you and how to contact them.
Gratefully,
Deborah Loon, Executive Director
Avenues relies on donations from individuals, businesses, foundations, faith and civic organizations for more than 50% of its budget annually. Click on the Donate Now button to make a secure online gift. Thank you for your support!
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WANTED: Hosts for New Host Home Program
Avenues for Homeless Youth has joined forces with three partners to create the ConneQT Collaborative. This innovative pilot -- the first of its kind in the nation -- unites three Twin Cities youth-serving agencies ( Avenues for Homeless Youth, RECLAIM and The Link) and Point Source Youth, a nonprofit out of New York.
Avenues' role in the collaborative is to create a new short-term host home program to provide shelter-like stays of 1 week to 3 months for homeless youth. We've named it the ConneQT Host Home Program, as the youth participants identify as Queer or Trans (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning - LGBTQ).
We are seeking households with an open room and open hearts to participate in this exciting new program! Individuals, couples and families are welcome.
Can't host but want to support ConneQT? Click on the Donate Now button to make an online donation and note you want to support the ConneQT Host Home Program.
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...and the Winner of the MN Book Award in General Nonfiction... Ryan Berg, Avenues' ConneQT Host Home Program Manager!!!
Ryan Berg joined the Avenues team about three years ago. He'd just moved from New York City. Little did we know he was also working on a manuscript - a memoir of his time working with LGBTQ youth in the NYC foster care system. It is a project he began as a grad student at Hunter College.
The manuscript became a book, No House to Call My Home, published by Nation Books - a leading independent book publisher. Of Berg's book, Kirkus Review wrote: "Berg's portraits are arresting... His fraught encounters with individuals become universal, offering a touch of hope."
Well, we're proud to announce that on Saturday April 16, No House to Call My Home: Love, Family and Other Transgressions won the Minnesota Book Award for General Nonfiction!
We're so proud to call Ryan a colleague and a friend. We know his book will find a home in the hearts of many, many readers. Congratulations, Ryan!
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Thank you, Friends at Gage Marketing!
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Left to right: Lee Allan, Michael Sichmeller and Sara Blood
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Avenues has such incredible supporters. We need to thank the good folks at Gage Marketing for their creative help. Lee Allan, Michael Sichmeller and Sara Blood have donated time and talent recently to assist Avenues. Please note the Building on Dreams materials they created for our fundraising breakfast and the ConneQT Host Home Program logo. Beautiful, right?
A special thank you to Sara Blood, who has been a longtime advocate for Avenues. She has served on the Action Council for our Minneapolis & Suburban Host Home Programs and connected us with the Leede Research Firm to conduct a focus group of host homes.
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Wishlist: New Business Attire for Avenues Youth
Help at a youth at Avenues nail their next job interview! Our clothing closet is in short supply of business wear, but youth are job-seeking. Collared button-ups and blouses, business slacks, nice ties and belts go a long way in helping our youth face the competitive job market. To learn how you can donate, contact Hailey Alexander at 612-844-1217 or halexander@avenuesforyouth.org
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We'll be Building on Dreams on May 3 at the Walker Art Center
Avenues' third annual fundraising breakfast, Building on Dreams, will be held May 3rd at the Walker Art Center at 7:30am. A few seats remain. Contact us immediately is you want to be 1 of the 240 people to learn more about youth homelessness and support Avenues!
We promise an inspirational program, delicious breakfast and to have you on your way promptly at 9am.
To reserve a seat, contact Julia O'Brien by this Friday -- 612.844.2012
or jobrien@avenuesforyouth.org. Thank you to our corporate sponsors!
Advocates:
Allies:
Friends: Best Buy Pride
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Avenues Youth Engage in Politics
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Avenues' Finance & Operations Director/Representative Peter Fischer spoke with Avenues youth during Homeless Day on the Hill
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Around the house these days, the presidential debates have been followed closely, with the issues being discussed and candidates evaluated. We have a number youth who have become politically engaged in recent months.
Youth have attended Black Lives Matter actions, attended their caucuses, visited with Representative Ray Dehn and participated in Homeless Day on the Hill at the State Capitol. Minneapolis Avenues Program Manager, Elaine Woods, said "Our youth are such advocates. They talked about a lot of issues they care about with Senator Bobby Joe Champion and Representative Peter Fischer. And they made quite an impression."
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Overheard at Avenues!
Youth 1: I don't even feel like I am homeless, I just have no place else to go.
Youth 2: Yeah, I'm not homeless. Avenues is my home until I move. I am chillin'. I can relax when I am here.
At both Avenues' locations (in North Minneapolis & Brooklyn Park), we aim to provide a safe, home-like environment where youth experiencing homelessness can stay, catch their breath and plan their next move. We practice a journey-oriented, trauma-informed approach to help them build trusting youth-adult relationships as they navigate the world. Conversations like this remind us that we are on the right path.
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Thank you, Anna Donato!
A big THANK YOU to Anna Donato.
For the past two years, she has hosted T he Victor Donato Memorial Foundation's Mardi Gras Gala. Proceeds from the event go to support the youth at Brooklyn Avenues. Anna, we're grateful for the effort it take to throw such a fun party that benefits your community! |
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Is a young person crashing at your home (or a friend's home)? Call us for support.
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.
To learn about hosting and the support we offer, contact our program managers:
ConneQT Host Home Program -- email Ryan Berg or call him at 612.844.2014.
GLBT Host Home Program -- email Rocki Simões or call her at 612.968.8771.
Watch this three-minute video to learn about the difference a host home can make for a homeless young person!
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Click on this image to watch a short introductory video about Avenues
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Connect with Avenues!
1708 Oak Park Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612.844.2001 phone
 
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