2015 annual report content - align mpls · advocate&...
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Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness
Annual Report Fiscal Year 2015
Our Goals
• Inspire: Call people to take action based on religious values
• Educate: Strengthen awareness of the issues of
homelessness and appropriate solutions
• Advocate: Build the public will for policy change
• Serve: Coordinate delivery of services among congregations The Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness (DCEH) is an interfaith collaboration of 13 downtown Minneapolis churches, synagogues, and mosques working together to end homelessness and poverty. DCEH focuses on shifting from an immediate needs approach to long term solutions through a combination of education, advocacy and action. Through learning and volunteer opportunities for congregants, community partnerships, and development of effective strategies and programs, DCEH is committed to impacting the community around us to end homelessness.
Our Vision Our Mission Everyone has access to
safe decent and affordable housing in
Minneapolis
To engage our congregations and
communities in the work to end homelessness
Letter From Steering Committee Chair and DCEH Director
Dear Advocates and Friends, The Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness ended Fiscal Year 2014 with many active congregations and members after a successful year of advocacy. DCEH began 2015, however, with the resignation of our Director Heidi Johnson McAllister. The Steering Committee recognized that Heidi’s resignation was an opportunity to evaluate what DCEH had become and what it should look like in the future. We identified various possible paths for DCEH, including ceasing to exist, merging with another organization, or continuing to move forward as an independent operation. We quickly decided that there was a continuing need for the work of DCEH. To ensure a smooth transition, we began the process of searching for a part-‐time Interim Director. Joseph Kreisman, who has experience in community organizing and lobbying, was hired to serve as the Interim Director beginning on February 9th, 2015. A task force met with an organization that approached DCEH about merger upon the announcement of Heidi’s resignation. As part of its due diligence, the task force spoke to several other organizations within the community about the ramifications of a merger. The task force learned that our position as an independent voice, without a financial stake in lobbying efforts, was highly valued by our community partners. DCEH took the insight to heart and decided, just as ending homelessness has not been completed, the work of DCEH is not yet done. We next evaluated our financial position and our professional staffing needs. The personnel committee, attuned to fiscal responsibility, decided to hire a Director at three-‐quarters time and rely more on our incredible congregations’ leaders to alleviate the work load of a full time Director. They recommended that the position be offered to Joe without conducting a search. Joe accepted the position and became the DCEH Director as of January 1, 2016. We know that just as the solutions to ending homelessness must adapt to changing realities, so too must our culture adapt. DCEH is excited about trying new tactics to achieve our goals and maximize our voice in the fight to end homelessness to do even more in the coming years in every level of community in which we participate. Sincerely, Marcy R. Frost Joseph Kreisman Temple Israel Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness Chair of the Steering Committee Director
Inspire Inspiring congregants and the community to take action on homelessness has always been at the core of DCEH. We know that by working together for social justice, people of faith can accomplish great things. Moving people from apathy to action is a strength of faith communities, and DCEH
works to continue that tradition in relation to homelessness. Congregations In 2015, DCEH began to implement a new engagement model with our congregations. The Director supports congregational organizing though developing leaders from each congregation who can take over the responsibilities the Director previously had in building engagement. This new effort has lead to over half of our congregations having a committee of people who discuss and implement engagement tactics to use in their congregation. There is also at least one person from each of those congregations who participate in the DCEH Interfaith Action Team, where they share successes, struggles, and best practices with each other to create a collaborative interfaith atmosphere. Sabbath To End Homelessness Over the course of November 6-‐15, DCEH congregations reflected and focused on homelessness and housing. Each congregation organized and implemented their own plans for their Sabbath events, which included speakers, poetry, liturgy, songs, music, ministry fairs, panel discussions, sermons on the topic, art, and more! This year eight of the 13 DCEH congregations hosted a Sabbath event. Central Lutheran Church hosted a performance by zAmya Theater Company the first weekend of the Sabbath to End Homelessness that about 60 people attended from multiple DCEH congregations.
StreetSong StreetSong is a choir which aims to unite voices for harmony and community. This choral collaborative is an enterprise of the DCEH. It is comprised of persons who have experienced homelessness and those who care about them. StreetSong has appeared at the Central Library in downtown Minneapolis, DCEH Sabbath to End Homelessness event at Masjid An-‐Nur, and at the Mall of America’s Holiday Concert Series.
Educate Knowledge is power, and DCEH wants to make sure that our congregants have power when
it comes to the facts, experiences, impacts, and causes of homelessness. Education is the best way to break down stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding homelessness. Through a variety of
events and activities, DCEH works to provide accurate and compelling information so our congregants can be better public advocates for talking about and ending homelessness.
Unite to End Homelessness The 3rd annual Unite to End Homelessness event in 2015 was a rousing success. After a synagogue and church hosted the last two years, we were thrilled to continue the interfaith learning of Unite at Masjid An-‐Nur. Imam El-‐Amin started off the event with an introduction to Islam for the 100 participants from all of our congregations that came to the mosque to learn. The bulk of the program was a panel of experts and an adult and youth who have experienced homelessness, who all shared their unique insights and perspectives. Attendees also were treated to a performance by StreetSong, a multi-‐faith prayer service, and breakout sessions on the different aspects of the work that DCEH is doing to end homelessness. DSP Trainings In 2015, DCEH continued its efforts to create a more impactful delivery of direct services in the congregations to individuals experiencing homelessness by providing trainings to the volunteers who deliver those services. The topics of the trainings this year were Intercultural Development, respect for boundaries, and two training sessions on mental illness. The skills and knowledge our volunteers have gained from these trainings will help them provide the most caring and impactful services to folks experiencing homelessness. Legislative Kickoff 60 congregants joined together at Central Lutheran Church for the annual Legislative Kickoff event. They learned what the Homes For All ask would be and how to advocate for it. The event taught participants how to advocate to legislators and why it is important that we all participate in the political process. Events and Education Team It was decided that in order to follow through on the goal of educating congregants and the community. To do it successfully, there needed to be a standing team dedicated to the endeavor. The DCEH Steering Committee and Director created a guideline for the creation and utilization of a team of congregants to support the director in the work of creating and planning events for DCEH.
Advocate The most effective way to make a lasting difference in our society is through policy changes
and initiatives at all levels of government. Through advocacy, we impart on elected officials the importance and values, both economically and morally, of working to eliminate homelessness. DCEH recognizes that to end homelessness we need to curb the amount of people entering it,
create new affordable housing, and support those who get housing so they do not reenter homelessness.
State Advocacy DCEH advocated, in partnership with over 120 organizations, at the state legislature for the Homes for All agenda, which included a $39 million increase in funding for programs that assists in the work of ending homelessness. The funding requests were split in half between two different committees in each chamber of the legislature. The tumultuous session included one of the committees wanting to decrease funding, and all of the others willing to take only small increases, if at all. After many phone calls, postcards, emails, and in-‐person meetings with legislators, DCEH and the coalition ensured an increase of $17.5 Million in state funding related to homelessness and housing. City Advocacy Building off the success of the 2014 inaugural year, DCEH participated in the Minneapolis Make Homes Happen coalition. The coalition advocated for $20 million in funding for housing; $15 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $5 million for a variety of single family housing programs. We were ultimately successful in getting over $16 million for the programs, including $10 million for the AHTF and an additional $1 million for large family units separate from the Trust Fund. Day on the Hill DCEH participated in what was the largest Homeless Day on the Hill yet to date. Our members joined with over 600 people from across the state who went to the Capitol, despite it being in a state of disarray due to construction, to meet with legislators and tell them the importance of funding the Homes for All ask. This year we took advantage of the new Green Line Light Rail and congregants rode together in ease from downtown Minneapolis to downtown Saint Paul.
Serve All of the faith traditions represented in DCEH congregations compel us to provide charity,
sanctuary, food, shelter, clothing, skills and or services to everyone in our communities, especially the worst off among us. It is important that we never lose sight of the individuals who are
experiencing homelessness in our efforts to end the homelessness. Faith communities have unique opportunities to work around the systems that can keep people in homelessness and provide the
services and goods needed that are not provided elsewhere. DSP Congregations This year we worked to include more of the congregations that provide services to people experiencing homelessness in our collaborative efforts so that we all are working together to create the most caring and effective community we can for people downtown. We have also begun a concerted effort to not duplicate services between congregations. Our congregations have been cognizant about providing the services that our guests want in addition to providing the services that the congregations and volunteers want to see. Sofas and Spokes For the 7th year in a row, DCEH held our annual Sofas and Spokes drive. Congregants and community members brought gently used furniture and bikes to Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church on May 16th. The furniture was donated to the St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store where DSP congregations send clients who are recently housed.
Bikes DCEH continued our partnership with Project Life-‐Cycle, which takes the bikes donated at Sofas and Spokes and in return gives DCEH repaired bikes to give to people in need. After giving out 15 bikes in 2013 and 25 bikes in 2014, we decided the need and capacity was there to do 50 bikes in 2015. Clients of direct services at DCEH congregations who wanted a bike for medical
needs or appointments, work, job searching, and other utilities got a refurbished bike at the Dignity Center. Each bike was accompanied with a new helmet and a bike lock to ensure safety and security of all new riders. Quarterly Meetings The Direct Services Providers Team has changed the monthly meeting schedule to accommodate quarterly meetings for a larger audience. The DSP Team, which is regularly made up of the congregations that provide services most days of the week out of their building, wanted to make sure that the voices of all of our congregations that work with people experiencing homelessness were heard. The Team is using quarterly meeting to talk about DCEH’s more collaborative service endeavors and expand the awareness of services provided at each congregation.
Members and Leaders
Member Congregations The Basilica of St. Mary, Central Lutheran Church, First Christian Church, First Covenant Church, First Unitarian Society, Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Masjid Al-‐Imam, Masjid An-‐Nur, Plymouth Congregational Church, St. Olaf Catholic
Church, Temple Israel, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Staff Members Joseph Kreisman, Director
Steering Committee Members Janice Anderson -‐ The Basilica of St. Mary, Rev. Dan Adolphson -‐ First Christian Church, Rev. Todd Bratulich -‐ First Covenant Church, Rev. Kelli Clement -‐ First Unitarian Society, John Cole -‐ Hennepin Avenue United Methodist, Diane Erikson -‐ St. Olaf Catholic Church, Marcy Frost -‐ Temple Israel, Rabbi Sim Glaser -‐ Temple Israel, Joan Miltenberger -‐ St. Olaf Catholic Church, Rev. Doug Mitchell -‐ Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rev. Jeff Sartain -‐ Plymouth Congregational Church,
Rev. Melissa Pohlman -‐ Central Lutheran Church
Executive Team Marcy Frost -‐ Chair, Temple Israel
Rev. Melissa Pohlman -‐ Co-‐Chair ending 09/15, Central Lutheran Church Todd Bratulich Co-‐Chair starting 09/15, First Covenant
Rev. Doug Mitchell -‐ Treasurer, Westminster Presbyterian Church John Cole -‐ Secretary, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
Interfaith Action Team Members David Bayliss -‐ The Basilica of St. Mary, Terrell Brown -‐ First Unitarian Society, Diane Erickson -‐ St. Olaf Catholic Church, Dean Goldberg -‐ Temple Israel, Andrew Granias -‐ Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Gary Whitford Holey -‐ Central Lutheran Church, Karen Kandik -‐ First Christian Church, Doug Krueger -‐ Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Sarah Lehman -‐ Plymouth Congregational Church
Advocacy Team Members Terrell Brown -‐ First Unitarian Society, J. Avi Economos -‐ Temple Israel, Doug Krueger -‐
Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Dee Long -‐ Plymouth Congregational Church, Mary Ann Lundquist -‐ First Unitarian Society, Rev. Doug Mitchell -‐ Westminster Presbyterian Church, Ann Oyen -‐
Central Lutheran Church, Robert Tennessen -‐ The Basilica of St. Mary
Direct Service Providers Team Janice Anderson -‐ The Basilica of St. Mary, Julia Freeman -‐ The Basilica of St. Mary, Denise Fogel -‐ Temple Israel, Michael Griffin -‐ St. Olaf Catholic Church, Kathy Hougen -‐ Gethsemane Episcopal Church, Mary Martin -‐ Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Joan Miltenberger -‐ St. Olaf
Catholic Church, Rev. Melissa Pohlman -‐ Central Lutheran Church
Financial Information* • DCEH did not have an annual report for 2014, therefor those financials will be included in this report.
DCEH ended 2015 with a strong financial standing, getting back our historic reserves amounts after dipping below in 2014. We began 2014 with $41,893.00 and ended with $24,720.03 and
ended 2015 with $47,500.28. Having an interim Director at half time in 2015 helped build up our reserve again. We also rejuvenated the partnerships with our congregations and were thrilled
when some of them committed more money because of our new vision and commitment.
Line Item 2014 2015 Congregational contributions $36,043.56 $53,400.00 Individual gifts and other sources $7,299.17 $7,961.53 Total Revenue $43,342.73 $61.361.53 Staff salaries and benefits $54,626.92 $32,681.85 Administration cost and fees $900.00 $900.00 Organizational development $232.78 $1,622.00 Tech, printing, and postage $1,211.05 $986.02 Bike program $390.00 $842.82 Training, workshops, and education
$1,612.40 $1,143.67
Professional and volunteer cost $1542.54 $404.92 Total $60,515.70 $38,581.28
