Duluth Area launches Safe
Homes, Hopeful Futures Fundraising
At the 2003 Northeastern
Minnesota ELCA Synod Assembly, voting members agreed to work with LSS in a
campaign, now called "Safe Homes, Hopeful Futures," to raise $56,000 by
June 2004. The goal of the campaign is to replace state funding for LSS
Renaissance and Street Outreach programs lost by action of the 2003 state
legislature. Those dollars, needed each year to secure federal funding of
$300,000 for these two services for homeless youth, are part of a larger
effort to support services for at-risk and vulnerable youth in
northeastern Minnesota.
Individuals are also being
asked to contribute to this larger need. In addition, LSS is actively
supporting an advocacy effort designed to reestablish public
responsibility for meeting the needs of troubled youth in our communities
by restoring state funding for these and other programs. We're pleased to
report that a total of $21,700 has already been received at this early
stage of the Campaign. Pastor John Sippola of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church,
in Duluth, and Nancy Ojard, LSS Board Director from Knife River are
co-chairs of the campaign.
New Challenges for LSS
Renaissance House
While the "Safe Homes, Hopeful Futures" Campaign is gathering momentum
in northeastern Minnesota, LSS learned in March that the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not select LSS Renaissance, a
transitional housing program for youth, for renewed funding during
extremely tough national competition. With the HHS' emphasis on giving
opportunities for many new programs, LSS Renaissance, located at 102 W.
First Street in Duluth, was left without the new, five-year-grant it was
seeking. The program operates on an annual budget of $272,000 and provides
short-term transitional housing, meals and case management support for six
young persons at a time, who have no where else to turn.
LSS Renaissance will need to
secure other funding to continue its services beyond 2004, until HHS has
competition available in 2005 or 2006. This makes the "Safe Homes, Hopeful
Futures" Campaign all the more important for the homeless youth in the
Duluth area. LSS will actively and aggressively continue its search for
long-term funding for LSS Renaissance. John Moline, senior director of LSS
Youth Counseling and Family Resources in northern Minnesota, said that he
is remaining optimistic. "This is an extremely challenging time to care
for the vulnerable people in our communities."
