|
SAVE THE DATE
Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign
A portion of the diapers collected during March will be donated to CHUM through the
These diapers along with all food and cash contributions will be included in the Minnesota FoodShare match.
Feinstein Foundation
will proportionally match cash gifts received by the CHUM Food Shelf during March and April!
Connecting to End Poverty
Tuesday, March 12
1 to 3 p.m.
at First United Methodist Church
Minnesota Without Poverty is hosting an event to discuss recommendations for
legislative action.
CHUM Spring Assembly
Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.
Mitchell Auditorium
"Pedagogy of the Poor: Building the Movement to End Poverty" is the topic of the assembly.
For more information on how to get involved prior to the assembly, contact Elizabeth.
CHUM Church Sunday, April 14, 4 -6 p.m. Peace United of Church of Christ
Letter Carriers' Food Drive
Saturday, May 11
Volunteers with a car, van or truck are needed to pair with a letter carrier to pick up food throughout the day. Most routes will start at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. Contact Meg at
(218) 727-2391.
CHUM Rhubarb Festival
Saturday, June 29
If you would like to help plan the festival, contact Mary
at (218) 720-6521
. To volunteer at the festival, contact Elizabeth
at (218) 740-2496.
|
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Food Shelf is in need of:
- tuna and Spam
- peanut butter
- canned fruit
CHUM's Emergency Shelter is in need of large microwaves for the kitchen and bath items to be distributed. The CHUM Center needs a new or used paper shredder for the office. Street Outreach is in need of sleeping bags, tarps, tents, rain ponchos, and umbrellas for the increasing number of individuals sleeping outside.
|
|
GET INVOLVED
 Collect food at Whole Foods Coop on Saturday, March 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To help for all or part of the day, contact Meg or call (218) 727-2391.
The West Food Shelf needs a volunteer to pick up baked goods from Johnson's Bakery and deliver them to Our Savior's Lutheran Church at 10 a.m. every Tuesday. To volunteer contact Meg or call (218) 727-2391.
Would you be willing to send out 6 or 8 cards per year? The CHUM Church You've Got Mail program needs volunteers. If you can help, contact Meg or call (218) 727-2391.
|
CHUM is a people of faith working togetherto provide basic necessities, foster stable lives,and organize for a just society.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Lee Stuart, who currently works at Duluth LISC, has been hired as CHUM's next Executive Director. Lee will begin at CHUM on April 15.
|
CHUM Hires Next
Executive Director
The CHUM Board of Directors announced the hiring of the next Executive Director, Lee Stuart, at their 40th Annual Meeting held at Temple Israel on Feb. 28.
Lee brings a complete set of skills to carry the work of CHUM forward, having managed a congregation-based organization in the south Bronx. There she advocated for the poor through services that focused on affordable housing, education and community development for nearly 25 years. Most recently, Lee has been employed at the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) where, among other tasks, she helped facilitate the At Home in Duluth collaboration, of which CHUM is a partner.
Lee will bring new opportunity to CHUM, which like many human service nonprofits faces increasing demands for service in an era of decreasing public support. "We expect that her commitment to social justice, her experience and her strong leadership skills will advance CHUM's vision of moving towards the creation of a more just and compassionate community," said Mary B Newcomb, CHUM Board Chair.
When Lee was introduced at CHUM's Annual Meeting, she said, "It is an honor and privilege and profoundly humbling to be selected as the next Executive Director of CHUM. I know that continued success depends upon strong team work, and CHUM is blessed with an excellent team. I will be relying on Jim, staff, board of directors and member congregations to be my teachers, mentors, coaches, and perhaps prophets as we take these next steps together."
Jim Soderberg will be retiring after 16 years of service. Under his direction, CHUM has expanded, providing more services to more people who live in extreme poverty in the Duluth area. As Executive Director, Jim created a remarkable balance of direct services and broad-based congregational support while he provided strong leadership in public policy and statewide advocacy.
Jim will retire as Executive Director on May 1. Celebrations of Jim's retirement will be announced in the coming weeks.
|
Remembering Gary Deloia - An Outstanding Volunteer
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Gandhi
 | | Gary Deloia, a Duluth dentist, advocated for our neighbors living in poverty through his commitment to providing dental care. |
St. Louis County Commissioner and former CHUM Community Organizer, Steve O'Neil still recalls the first time he met Gary Deloia. It was Labor Day weekend in 1990 when a resident of the Dorothy Day House in Duluth got a toothache. He had no health insurance, so O'Neil started working to get him into a local clinic. To his surprise, O'Neil got a call back immediately, saying to bring the man in because someone would be able to see him that day.
"[Gary] pulled the tooth and did a follow up with him at no charge," O'Neil said. "For him to come in on Labor Day weekend was startling. He continued to see many folks from CHUM."
Many of those served by CHUM lack adequate medical insurance or use medical assistance. Since that day in 1990, Gary continued to regularly see low or no income patients, providing the care they needed. "Gary was one of those people that quietly and humbly helped those who needed it," O'Neil said. "He really was one of the quiet champions of dental care in our community."
Though Gary passed in November 2012, his legacy lives on. There as still many dentists in our community who, because of Gary's example, continue to provide dental care to those who are uninsured or under-insured.
CHUM values all of its volunteers, as they help carry out CHUM's mission. See how you can get involved at CHUM under Get Involved.
|
Former Food Shelf User Gives Back to CHUM
by Julie Krienke, CHUM Communications Assistant
It's been four years since Stacy Bak of Duluth embarked on a journey that seemed to last a lifetime. This young woman was living with her father in Superior when she accepted a job in Duluth. After finding an apartment in the Central Hillside, she settled into her new life and began working.
"That ended up being the worst-case scenario for me because I got in with the wrong people, and it all came crashing down because of alcohol and health issues," Stacy said. It soon became difficult for Stacy to make her rent payments, and she started calling homeless shelters, eventually staying in CHUM's Emergency Shelter for nearly a month. read more
|
|
Advocating for a Just Society
|
Conversation on Health Care Opens Eyes
by Matt Traynor, CHUM Community Organizer
Working at CHUM would lead a person to believe they have a grasp on the realities of living in poverty. Unfortunately, this thought can be misleading and detrimental to the work being done at organizations that are working for a just and compassionate society.
 | | CHUM held a community conversation to discuss issues faced by those in poverty. |
On Feb. 26, CHUM held a community conversation which taught us that not all agencies fully understand the implications of poverty.
This conversation provided a platform for our neighbors enmeshed in poverty to give their thoughts on accessing health care now and how it should look in the future. The 20 clear, articulate and well-versed participants brought to light many issues faced by those in poverty.
|
|
Duluth Activists Attend JRLC's Day on the Hill
 | | Rabbi David Steinberg of Duluth's Temple Israel was among those in attendance. |
While at the Minnesota State Capitol, event attendees met for upwards of 45 minutes with Sen. Tom Bakk, Rep. Mary Murphy, Rep. Eric Simonson, and Rep. Tom Huntley. Conversations centered on issues such as raising the minimum wage, allotting more funding for affordable housing, and supporting fair taxes and adequate revenues.
A group of more than 30 individuals from CHUM attended the annual Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill, an interfaith advocacy day for social justice, on Feb. 21.
Following the meeting, Rep. Huntley signed onto a bill that provides an additional $25 million in funding for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. This bill is part of the "Homes for All" campaign which was recently introduced and will be a major victory if passed. |
|
|
