Our Impact
Panhandling: A Community Response
On Monday, August 23rd, around 300 people gathered together at the Basilica of Saint Mary to gain understanding for 
how we respond to solicitation for money from a person panhandling. The event was hosted by the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness and zAmya Theater Project. Powerful conversation focused on the dilemma of giving money to a person signing, which is what those who ask for money on the street call it. Members of the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, people from the business community, former panhandlers and other community members came together to discover how we address those who panhandle.
Through one scen
e acts by the zAmya Theater Project, the crowd was presented information about the Minneapolis laws on panhandling as well as two possible situations of people asking for money. The audience provided input into the situations by identifying what was dissatisfying with how panhandling encounters end. The conversation continued with the audience providing options for what would create a better interaction from both perspectives.
The compassion in the room was palpable, but questions were raised about compassion fatigue by folks who see panhandlers on a daily basis when walking to and from work. Through all of the evening, conversation was abuzz as we all were searching for short term solutions to address this issue.
So, what do we do?
Seeing an increase in panhandling in Minneapolis, there was a yearning for a short term solution, but no easy answers about whether to give money or not give money were given. Suggestions were given to provide resources of shelters and organizations to folks who are panhandling. Many of the local shelters and community organizations are full and working at capacity to provide assistance to large numbers, so many shrug off the available resources or simply never make it to the organization.
However, one org
anization goes out on the street to connect with people and that is St. Stephen’s Outreach Team. By calling their office, one of their staff will go out to the panhandler and connects with them and will try to help address their present needs. Beyond that, St. Stephen’s also builds relationships with folks and will work with each of them to obtain housing. In two years, they have housed around 200 people from the streets.
So do we give money or not? An alternative to giving money to someone on the street is to give through the Give Real Change campaign. The money donated goes directly to programs which will help folks get off the street.
We all yearn for short term solutions, but what is deeply needed is to get folks living on the streets into housing. Therefore, to address the issue of panhandling, we need to address bigger, more systemic issues. In Minneapolis and Hennepin County, the community has created a ten year plan to end homelessness called Heading Home Hennepin! This is an innovative plan with solutions to homelessness, which are: prevent homelessness, produce housing that lower income folks can afford, provide outreach, improve the systems which addresses homelessness, provide people with supportive environments to get them on their feet, and improve service delivery. It was through Heading Home Hennepin that the St. Stephen’s Street Outreach was initiated.
To really address panh
andling and homelessness, we as a community need to be a part of the long term solutions by responding and participating in this plan. As the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, we know that keeping people informed about the trends in homelessness and educating ourselves is important and essential. However, in order to end the cycles of homelessness, speaking up is equally important. Our community leaders and public officials need to know that we are concerned about this issue and that the solutions are available. If you would like to speak up about this, join us! We are a growing network of folks ready to contact public officials and ask for solutions, not band aids.
Become a part of our network today to end homelessness in our community!
Stay tuned for Part 2 with focus on resources and long-term solutions. Details to be announced.
Check out stories from the media outlets about the Panhandling workshop:
Hundreds Meet in Minneapolis To Understand Panhandling by WCCO
How Do You Respond When Asked for Money by Minnesota Spokesman Recorder
A Currie Avenue Partnership Success Story
Jon was at one time your average middle-class citizen that owned a home in the suburbs, was happily married, and was employed. Jon’s wife Sally was a talented painter; however was unable to actively paint after being diagnosed with cancer several years ago. Jon became devastated after his beloved wife passed away a few years back – she was his best friend and largest support. His depression spiraled down and out of control – to the point where he couldn’t get out of bed and didn’t want to envision his life without his wife. Jon eventually lost his job and therefore couldn’t pay the mortgage. He was forced to file for bankruptcy and nearly lost everything he owned.
Jon had nowhere to go after he lost his home. He moved into the Salvation Army shelter for over one consecutive year – this seemed to be Jon’s only option. A couple months ago, Jon learned of the Currie Avenue Partnership (CAP) and felt a sense of hope he hadn’t felt in a long time. He happened to qualify for the program and a month later moved into a one-bedroom apartment. He is relieved he now has a Case Manager to care and support him and a roof over his head; hence enough comfort to plan for his future – something he hasn’t imagined in a long time. He plans on enrolling in school to learn a new trade, and soon after returning to work. The affects of having a home is already making a difference – he is able to better manage his depression and found much joy and pride from hanging his wife’s beautiful paintings on his new living room walls.
2010 Legislative Session Wrap Up
With the growing budget deficit, the 2010 Minnesota legislative session quickly turned into a chaotic and challenging mess with much disagreement on how to solve the budget issues. As the session winded down to a close, legislators faced a $3.5 billion gap in the budget. In the last few hours, a budget deal was reached with cuts and no revenue increase. The cuts to the safety net programs were minimal; however, there were funding shifts made as well as decisions put off for the next session. Projections are looking at a $5.5 billion shortfall. Read the 2010 DCEH Advocacy Wrap-up for a more in-depth look at the 2010 Session and what is happening on the national level.
Due to the focus on the budget crisis, the session ended without much progress forward. However, your participation during this past session was critical to saving the safety net and keeping it mostly intact. Together this session, we voiced our concern for these programs through letters and phone calls, by attending rallies as well as by writing letters to the editor to build awareness in the public. We would love to hear how this session was for you. Please complete a survey so we can improve our work and create rewarding advocacy opportunities.
Thank you for your hard and diligent work this session! It is important that we keep speaking out! With elections coming up this fall for Governor, House and Senate, we hope you will stay connected to the issues and ask the candidates where they stand on the issues of homelessness and poverty.
Gubernatorial Candidate Forum
Eight vying for the job of Minnesota Governor were present at the Candidate Forum presented by the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness and Joint Religious Legislative Coalition on Monday, May 24th. Those in attendance were Democrats Mark Dayton, Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Matt Entenza, Republicans Leslie Davis and Bob Carney Jr., and Tom Horner, Rob Hahn and John Uldrich from the Independence Party.
Two people who had experienced homelessness shared their stories before any questions were asked to the candidates as a way to set the tone and focus of the forum. Each of the eight candidates were then posed with the question “How do your core values or your faith inform your understanding of the role of government in homelessness and poverty issue.” Moderator Jim Gertmenian, Senior Minister at Plymouth Church in Minneapolis, followed up by asking candidates questions focusing on the areas of Housing, Health Care and Jobs.
video from The UpTake, www.theuptake.org
Currie Avenue Partnership Update
On Tuesday April 27, The Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness presented the Currie Avenue Partnership with an oversized check for $130,00 at the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners meeting. The Currie Avenue Partnership was featured at the meeting as a Hennepin Highlight, complete with a video presentation showing the apartment of one of the first people who obtained housing under the partnership. 10 people are already in housing due to the Currie Avenue Partnership and we are well on our way to reach our goal of housing 150 people in the next year!
Save GAMC Rally on the Opening Day of Session!
The 2010 session of the Minnesota Legislature began on February 4th in the midst of cheering and chanting from 
concerned Minnesotans about the loss of General Assistance Medical Care. Over 700 participants, many from DCEH congregations, listened as Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman from Temple Israel pumped us up about the need for spiritual audacity. We listened to GAMC recipients and what losing their health care coverage would do to their lives. A hugely sized GAMC bill and pen were brought through the crowd and later presented to Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office along with baskets and baskets full of pens, all in an effort to get him to reinstate GAMC funding. We are here to protect the poorest and sickest Minnesotans. Check out some of the media coverage of the GAMC rally!
Kickoff to a Year of Advocacy
On Monday January 11th over 70 DCEH congregants and community members gathered at Central Luth er an Church for a one-stop advocacy workshop on ending homelessness. Cathy ten Broeke, Director of Heading Home Hennepin, gave an update on the Currie Avenue Project and talked about some of the challenges that still remain in the push to end homelessness. Key issues for the upcoming legislative session include the unallotment of fu nds for General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) and cuts in funding for Emergency General Assistance. Jeannie Fox from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits discussed the dos and don’ts of advocating and the most effective ways to have your voice heard.
Participants sat at tables with others from their legislative districts and were given time to discuss how faith and 
poverty connect and what actions and strategies they could take as a district. At the end of the evening everyone was asked to fill out a call to action form outlining what actions they would take in an effort to end homelessness. 57 people committed to taking 203 actions in the coming months. These actions included attending their precinct caucus February 2nd, reading and taking action on Action Alerts twice a month and writing a lett er to the editor regarding ending homelessness. People placed their call to action forms in a basket at the front of the room as everyone sang “We Are Called.” This hymn served as a reminder that through advocacy and working together we are able to act with justice and energized the crowd to take action in the fight to end homelessness.
Launching the DCEH Bike Program
Last September, the DCEH collected over 100 used bikes to be refurbished and given to clients of four DCEH member outreach programs: St. Vincent de Paul at the Basilica of Saint Mary, the Restoration Center at Central Lutheran Church, The Dignity Center at Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church, and the Outreach Ministry at St. Olaf Catholic Church. The mission of the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness Bicycle Program is to offer reliable bicycles to adult Minneapolis residents as efficient and ecologically responsible transportation for work, job search appointments, and post-secondary education.
Each of these programs will identify 4 clients per month, who are experiencing barriers to transportation, to receive a bike. Upon receiving a bike, the clients will attend a bike safety and maintenance class where they will learn how to clean their chain and fix a tire as well as safety tips, such as wearing a helmet, and road rules for biking. The first recipients will begin to receive bikes in April.
A big thank you to all who donated bikes and to all our volunteers helping to fix bikes! Four volunteers from the DCEH have been busy working in partnership with Mr. Michael’s Recycled Bicycles, a bike shop in St. Paul, to fix the donated bikes. One of our volunteers, Bill Gaines from the Basilica of Saint Mary’s, has enjoyed assisting with the program as he says, “I like bikes. I like working on bikes. If having fun makes someone else’s life a little better or easier then the grease on my hands is all the more fragrant.” Over 50 bikes are fixed and ready to go! We are still in need of more volunteers to repair bikes, to learn how you can volunteer click here.
Finding Solutions on Currie Avenue
For the first time in many years, shelters are continually overcrowded with guests, 700 people are sleeping in two shelters on the same block of Minneapolis, over 300 people are sleeping on the streets staying warm in sleeping bags from China. Rather than open more shelters or build more housing, Heading Home Hennepin, along with the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness and the Downtown Business Council are raising money for a solution to ending homelessness for people currently in shelter.
The initiative will connect people with mental or physical disabilities living on the street to a case worker. The case worker will be an advocate for them to access housing and services for which they are eligible. With the money raised by the DCEH and the Downtown Business Council, 10 case workers will be hired to help the shelter guest find housing and become stable. One worker will work with 15 clients. Moving guests into housing will take the strain off of our emergency system and end homelessness for 150 people. This is a solution that will have a direct impact on the Minneapolis Community.
Letter to the Editor in the Star Tribune
Senior Clergy Tour Project Homeless Connect
The 8th annual Minneapolis Project Homeless Connect occurred at the Minneapolis Convention Center on December 7th. More than 1600 people experiencing homelessness received a variety of services at the event. Over 400 providers offered services that ranged from assistance searching for housing to help obtaining birth certificates and state identification cards to legal aid.
County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, who is committed to ending homelessness in Hennepin County, gave a tour of the event to DCEH Senior Clergy. Those in attendance were Kristen Jacobson for Rick Nelson, Aron Kramer, Makram El-Amin, Jim Gertmenian, Mark Pavlik and Tim Hart-Andersen. One highlight of the tour was the dental area where a makeshift dental office had been set up, complete with x-ray machines and examination chairs, allowing clients to receive x-rays, tooth extractions and referrals for follow-up service. The last stop on the tour brought the Senior Clergy to a room where clients were receiving haircuts, with some leaving the room looking like totally different people. The Senior Clergy were amazed at the size of the event and wide array of services that were offered.
Of the nearly 1300 people who volunteered at the event over 100 (roughly 13%) of the volunteers came from DCEH congregations! The majority of Project Homeless Connect volunteers were paired with a client who they spent the day with visiting the different service providers, eating lunch and sharing life stories.
For information on how to volunteer or about the next Project Homeless Connect occurring on Monday March 29, 2010 visit http://www.homelessconnectminneapolis.org/.
Sofas and Spokes Successful!
A steady stream of people pulled into the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church parking lot on the morning of September 26th to donate bike racks full of bikes and vehicles filled with furniture. Sofas and Spokes came from everywhere! People rode the bikes into Hennepin Avenue to be dropped off. Carts loaded with furniture were wheeled over from neighborhood apartment buildings. The trucks began to fill up fast with donations.
In total, the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness collected a truck full of furniture for the Vincent DePaul Thrift Store and 93 bikes for the DCEH Bike Program to begin in the spring of 2010. Jerry Edwards, from the First Unitarian Society, brought bikes that he had stored in his garage because “here is a wonderful cause to donate them to.”
Sitting around his home, Craig Gustafson from Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church had three bikes that were not being used. He brought his bikes so that people who don’t have a bike have access to one. “This isn’t about a tax write-off, but about getting someone who wants a bike one especially if transportation is an issue.”
A bike has been an important mode of transportation for John. A year and a half ago, John lost a stable job he had for many years. Since then, he has been searching for another job and has struggled to find a good, stable job with the economy in a recession. John is without a car, but does have a bike, which allows him to make his interviews and appointments. Not only does it get him to his appointments, a bike allows him to maintain his connection to his community. On Sundays, John bikes to his suburban congregation to play in his church band. Without a bike, John would be isolated and would experience many more barriers to employment.
Like John, transportation is an issue for many with low incomes or people who are unemployed and looking for a job. Access to transportation has implications for where people live and where they work. For Eric Berg from St. Olaf Catholic Church, donating bikes makes sense, “I like the idea of bikes going to folks that can use them to get to work. You know where the bikes are going.”
The bikes will be going to folks beginning next spring 2010 when the DCEH will launch the Bike Program. Along with the bike, helmets and locks will be given out to participants from the direct services ministries at St. Olaf, the Restoration Center at Central Lutheran, the Dignity Center at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, and the Vincent de Paul Ministries at the Basilica of Saint Mary. Now with the 93 donated bikes, we can make a difference in the lives of people!
Called to be Faithful Minnesota: A Witness of Lament
On Tuesday, June 30th, people of faith gathered for a witness of lament to ask Governor Tim Pawlenty not to abandon the health of Minnesota’s citizens especially those who need it most. 40 people from the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness stood alongside other people of faith on the capitol steps and listened to faith leaders from the Native American, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Christian traditions.We also delivered flowers and cards to the Governor asking him to not forget the vulnerable in our society.
