Unique collaboration seeks $350,000 by year end

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A first-ever collaboration between the faith and business communities of downtown Minneapolis could get 150 people out of homeless shelters and into permanent housing by the early part of next year.

Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness and the Minneapolis Downtown Council have agreed to raise $350,000 before Dec. 31 to fund 10 new case workers who will each transition 15 people out of the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities shelters on Currie Avenue. The program, called The Currie Avenue Partnership, will enable these case workers over a period of six months to house people who are eligible for - but often unaware of - existing state support to establish a more stable lifestyle.

Nearly 700 people stay at the overcrowded Currie Avenue shelters each night, according to Cathy ten Broeke, who coordinates a Minneapolis and Hennepin County initiative to end homelessness that has achieved national recognition for its innovative approaches. "This partnership between the faith and business communities is unprecedented in Minneapolis and in the United States, and its success will be noted by other metropolitan areas," she said.

Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness has committed to raise $70,000 by year end. The Minneapolis Downtown Council has set a goal of $280,000. Two Downtown Council members, Ameriprise and HealthPartners, have committed the business organization's first two gifts at $20,000 each. "This is a wonderful way for business to help dozens of the most vulnerable people in downtown overcome the cycle of living day-to-day in shelters," said Tim O'Connor, chair of the Downtown Council's board of directors. "This project will be quite appealing to several companies wanting to join in the effort to end homelessness in Minneapolis."

Although the new collaboration between the faith and business communities is unusual, said Rev. James Gertmenian of Plymouth Congregational Church, "it came about quite naturally because in this instance the right thing and the smart thing are the same thing. The Currie Avenue Partnership presents a concrete and effective way for our congregations and our companies to achieve a great social good."

The Family Housing Fund is the financial agent for The Currie Avenue Partnership. Donations to the program should be made to The Family Housing Fund, Midwest Plaza West, Suite 1650, 801 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402.

About Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness

Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness uses its civic voice to educate and push the community from managing homelessness and poverty to ending it through support of Heading Home Hennepin, congregations, volunteers, and community organizations to affect the common good of the community. Members include the Basilica of Saint Mary, Central Lutheran Church, First Christian Church, First Unitarian Society, Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Masjid An-Nur, Masjid Al-Ikhas, Plymouth Congregational Church, Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Saint Olaf Catholic Church, Temple Israel and Westminster Presbyterian Church.

About the Minneapolis Downtown Council

The Minneapolis Downtown Council works to preserve and enhance a vital and attractive downtown for the people who invest, work, shop, visit, and live in Minneapolis. It represents the 400 largest companies in downtown Minneapolis.

SOURCE Minneapolis Downtown Council

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