Though the Minnesota Twins beat the
Anaheim Angels 6 to 3 in an entertaining professional baseball game at the
Metrodome on Wed., Aug., 4, the real winners weren't on the field, in the
dugouts or even in the stands. Sadly, they weren't even safe at home. The
real winners were on the streets, largely ignored and unnoticed, except to
a group of caring and generous people who want to ease the plight of
homeless and at-risk teens.
During the 11th annual "Lutheran
Night at the Twins," some 28,000 fans joined forces with Lutheran Social
Service of Minnesota (LSS) and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to
generate funds for Minnesota's 2,800 homeless youth, 1,000 of whom are in
the Twin Cities. Thanks to a lead gift of more than $35,000 from the Twin
Cities Regional Financial Office of Thrivent Financial, more than $125,000
was raised to support LSS programs benefiting homeless youth, including
street outreach, an emergency short-term shelter and several transitional
living programs, among others.
LSS hopes to raise $400,000 to help
keep its current programs benefiting homeless youth open over the long
term. Due to state budget cuts last year, LSS was not able to fully fund
youth programs for at-risk youth. According to Jenny Peterson, LSS
Development Director, LSS has pledges and gifts received that are putting
us well on the way to the $400,000 goal.
"The help that emerged from Thrivent
Financial, volunteers and some very generous donors was truly amazing,"
said Mark Peterson, LSS' President/CEO. "I want to thank everyone who was
involved. We hit a home run in our initial turn at bat, but until every
Minnesota youth has a life of safety, stability and hope, we all have much
more work to do."
To learn more about Minnesota's
homeless youth, visit www.lssmn.org.
