Help Minnesota’s homeless youth
Building community
one host home at a time
1 | www.avenuesforyouth.org 612.522.1690 | 2 The mission of Avenues for Homeless
Youth is to provide emergency shelter,
short‑term housing and supportive services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. Through such service, Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood.
THE PROGRAM
The Minneapolis Host Home Program
isa community and volunteer‑based approach to caring for some of our city’s homeless youth. The program connects homeless youth of Minneapolis with caring adults from their own community who are willing to open their homes and hearts. With this support, youth find stability and safety, build trusting relationships, and have the space to dream about and plan for their futures.
Do you have the capacity to provide life‑ changing support to a homeless young person? Do you want to learn more about the Minneapolis Host Home Program? If so, please read on.
THE NEED
2500 youth are homeless and on
their own every night in Minnesota.
An estimated 500 of them are from
Minneapolis.
Homeless youth need safety, support
from caring adults, and a place to call
home. They need the chance to heal,
discover their confidence and sense of
self‑worth, and plan for their future.
We call on the residents of Minneapolis
to provide safe and supportive homes
for the city’s homeless youth!
“I hope that my work makes people think about
the importance of community in a world that
seems to be increasingly individualistic.”
Michael Birawer, Twin Cities Artist
www.michaelbirawer.com
“Through caring for others, by serving them
through caring, a person lives the meaning
of their own life.” Milton Mayeroff, author
Open your heart and your home
to a homeless youth!
3 | www.avenuesforyouth.org 612.522.1690 | 4
With support from hosts and the community, homeless youth can and do move from surviving the streets to thriving young adults.
It’s really hard to do well in school or at work (let alone plan for your future) when you don’t know where you’ll find food or a place to sleep. You can make a difference in the life of a homeless young person by providing these basic needs and your caring support.
The Minneapolis Host Home Program offers informational sessions throughout the year at locations throughout the Minneapolis community. For a listing of upcoming dates and locations, visit minneapolishosthome.org. Connect with us on Facebook and “Like” our page for ongoing updates!
facebook.com/MinneapolisHostHomeProgram
THE MINNEAPOLIS
HOST HOME PROGRAM
• Recruits and screens volunteer adult
hosts to provide a bedroom, food and
caring support
• Conducts a 16‑hour training,
mandatory for all hosts
• Matches hosts and youth through a
youth‑driven process
• Provides ongoing case management
support for youth ages 16‑21
• Provides ongoing support for hosts
Sharing your home is both challenging and powerful. Opening your home to a homeless youth will change your life, the young person’s life and the community’s life.
The Minneapolis Host Home Program works because of the support, involvement and passion of the Minneapolis community. It empowers the community of Minneapolis to care for its own young persons in need. The program is made possible by members of the Leadership Team, youth, hosts, youth advocates, case managers, volunteers, donors, friends, partner agencies, faith communities, Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, Downtown Improvement District, Heading Home Hennepin and more!
BE A HOST
To become a host, you must:
1. Be a nice person who genuinely cares about
young people’s lives.
2. Have an extra private bedroom for
the youth.
3. Be able to supply food to the youth.
4. Be at least 25 years old.
5. Have lived in the Twin Cities for at least
one year.
6. Currently live within the city of Minneapolis.
7. Have renters/homeowners insurance.
8. Complete an application packet, including
three references.
9. Authorize background checks, which include:
‑ MN Dept. of Human Services (BCA)
‑ Public Records (i.e. arrest reports)
‑ IntelliCorp
10. Complete 1 or 2 interviews with the
program manager and a Leadership
Team member.
11. Complete the initial 16 hours of
host training.
12. Still be a nice person after all of this!
5 | www.avenuesforyouth.org 612.522.1690 | 6
I CAN’T HOST RIGHT NOW,
BUT WANT TO HELP.
Please detach and send to: Avenues for Homeless Youth
Attn: Marketing & Development Manager 1708 Oak Park Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55411 To donate securely online, visit
givemn.razoo.com/Avenues-For-Homeless-Youth
and designate the Minneapolis Host Home Program. Avenues for Homeless Youth is a nonprofit, tax‑exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Your gift is tax‑deductible as allowed by law.
I would like to:
Donate supplies or host a supply drive Volunteer my time Host an event Donate stock Donate money $250 $100 $50 $_______ Check enclosed
Please charge my: Visa MasterCard
CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT NUMBER EXPIRATION DATE
NAME ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
PHONE NUMBER EMAIL ADDRESS
Program Contact Information:
Deena McKinney, Program Manager
612.522.1690
deena@avenuesforyouth.org
www.minneapolishosthome.org
www.avenuesforyouth.org
Each year, Avenues for Homeless Youth provides safe shelter and transitional housing to over 200 homeless youth and young adults through four programs: • Shelter & Transitional Housing Program
(North Minneapolis) • GLBT Host Home Program
(Twin Cities metro area)
• Minneapolis Host Home Program (City of Minneapolis)
• Suburban Host Home Program (Hennepin County suburbs)
Join us on Facebook! Search any of the above and click “Like” on the program page. You may also follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AvenuesForYouth