Q. How would you describe the new Center
for Changing Lives?
The new Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis is a unique, $28
million service center and housing initiative that brings together the
strengths and expertise of several public and private community partners
to make a life-long impact on the well-being of individuals and families
in our community. Upon completion in 2008, the center will include 48
units of affordable housing, social services, a worship center, and
conference spaces for events and training. Total square footage will
increase from the current building’s 41,000 to 108,000 in the new center.
Q. How did this project come about?
There are several factors that have made this project a reality.
First, Lutheran Social Service recognized the need for more affordable
housing 10 years ago in the Phillips community and began a conversation
with the Phillips Eye Institute, neighborhood organizations and Phillips
residents to talk about how we could use our collective resources to
develop more affordable housing opportunities and stabilize the
neighborhood. This Phillips Park Initiative, a four-block redevelopment
housing initiative, which includes new condominiums and town homes on Park
Avenue, additional town homes on Oakland Avenue, and supportive housing
for families with disabilities on Portland Avenue, was the outgrowth of
this conversation. Second, Lutheran Social Service needed more space with
greater flexibility to meet changing needs in social services. And, third,
as our long conversation evolved with neighborhood organizations, we
learned that Messiah was redefining its mission and ministry, and they’ve
joined with us as well. All these factors coming together have shaped this
project into what it’s become.
Q. Why are you building a new facility
in Minneapolis?
1. Our current Minneapolis Office was built 50 years ago for a
different type of social service work. In 1957, for example, offices were
built as permanent, inflexible spaces with sound-proof materials and heavy
doors for private counseling. While we continue to offer counseling
services, many of our services need large conference and training spaces
for education and workshops. The new facility will accommodate these
emerging needs.
2. It’s also true that our current building
is single-level and not expandable. We were not able to build additional
levels, or add parking below. This gave us an opportunity to look at our
needs and determine how we want to move forward to more effectively serve
the needs of people who seek us out for help.
3. No single organization can care for the
well-being of the community. When people of goodwill come together from
the faith, business, public and private sectors, we can dream big and
combine our individual strengths in new ways that will make a life-long
impact on people’s lives and the well-being of our community.
Q. Who are you planning to serve?
The new Center for Changing Lives will be our largest service center
and will serve both the neighborhood as well as the greater metro area and
beyond. The Center for Changing Lives reflects the growing significance of
our commitment to affordable housing and improving the financial
well-being of those we serve. We’ll continue to create new families
through adoption, serve at-risk youth, welcome refugees and provide mental
health counseling. Messiah Lutheran has many outreach services as well,
including after schools services. I also anticipate that we will continue
to work with a wide array of other community organizations in developing
new responses to need.
Q. What’s unique about this project?
Services without having adequate housing are frustrating. And, housing
without appropriate support services is too often inadequate. The Center
for Changing Lives blends services and housing in a very strong way. We
are especially pleased to be able to strengthen the array of financial
services in this neighborhood, including credit card counseling, incented
savings services, and other forms of financial counseling that are
intended to improve the financial well-being of our clients.
The Center for changing Lives includes
uncommon service partners, including a fraternal financial services
organization, a faith community, a major health system, and a college.
Together, we’ll be able to do things we can’t do alone.
Finally, this new center is a green
project, which allows us to be good stewards of the environment at the
same time.
Q. Who are the major players involved in
the new Center for Changing Lives?
The center will be home to the Minneapolis office of Lutheran Social
Service of Minnesota, Messiah Lutheran Church, the Phillips West
Neighborhood Organization, and Kaleidoscope. Major partners include
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Messiah Lutheran Church, Hennepin
County and Faith in the City, representing seven Lutheran institutions,
such as Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Fairview Health Systems.
Q. How is the center being funded?
83% of the funds have already been raised. Contributions have come
from a wide range of individuals, congregations, foundations, businesses,
community organizations and the public sector. Included in the media
packet is a list of foundations, congregations, and organizations who have
stepped in a major way to fund the center. There are also 200 individual
donors who have made significant contributions.
Q. How is Park Avenue Apartments being
funded?
With the help of many funders, we have achieved an extraordinary
result; Park Avenue Apartments will be affordable in the long term for
residents because we there will be essentially no debt on the building.
Those partners include the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Housing, Family Housing Fund, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and
investors in the federal Housing Tax Credit program through the National
Equity Fund.
Q. What services will be available?
A variety of services will be offered at the new Center for Changing
Lives through our many community partners:
Lutheran Social Service:
Adoption, Counseling, Financial Counseling, Counseling, Refugee and
Employment Services, Youth Services, Housing Services.
Messiah Lutheran: Food
Pantry, Clothes Closet, Skills Training, Worship Center
Park Avenue Apartments: 48
units of affordable housing
Faith in the City: An
organization of seven-Lutheran institutions that have combined resources
to offer a variety of services, including the Personal Finance Center and
Wellness Connection.
Kaleidoscope: A non-profit
providing activities and academic instruction for children in the Phillips
neighborhood.
Phillips West Neighborhood
Organization: A home base for neighborhood advocacy in the
Phillips West community.
Q. Since you serve such a diverse
population from various cultures, what will be the role of Messiah?
Messiah has many of its own outreach ministries. We’re looking forward to
new synergies and how we might be able to address community needs even
more effectively. The center will likely be open more routinely in the
evenings and on Sundays, when congregational ministries are commonly
available. Messiah will also be offering its own Worship opportunity to
the community.
Q. How are you managing operations in
the meantime?
The 100 employees, who served out of the current LSS Minneapolis
Office, have moved
temporarily to Phillips Eye Institute, an
organization that has a 10-year relationship with Lutheran Social Service
through the Phillips Park Initiative.
