Better Together: Beacon’s Partnership with Avivo
Avivo Service Provider Spotlight. Written by Dylan Novacek – Content Specialist
“We are utterly committed to doing whatever it takes to end homelessness,” exclaimed Kelly Matter, President and CEO of Avivo. “We’ll do whatever it takes to care for all people. If you don’t have a home, you can’t achieve your goals.”
Since we first welcomed residents to Lydia Apartments two decades ago, Beacon has proudly partnered with Avivo to provide essential on-site services. Working together in our shared vision that all people have a home, Avivo now also provides services with us at Kimball Court, The Lonoke, and soon will provide services at Bimosedaa.
“Our mission is to increase well-being through recovery and career advancement while working to end homelessness,” Kelly shared, reflecting on the diverse set of services Avivo offers. “Our vision is rooted in equity for all people as we work for those with the greatest needs. Ending homelessness is at the core of our partnership.”
For the staff at Avivo, this work is deeply personal. Kelly has over 30 years of experience working to ensure that all people are cared for. Through her career, she has seen the impact of Beacon and Avivo’s collaboration and she has witnessed how our shared goals complement each other.
“What is innovative about our two organizations is how we work on behalf of all people,” she said. “Going from long term homelessness and being unsheltered is hard. Giving our residents the resources to succeed is vital in their ability to maintain their own stability.”
Sharing the same desire for justice, equity and housing our two organizations are better together. Through a holistic approach, Avivo provides the right services at the right time on behalf of those we serve. Offering education and employment training, as well as substance use disorder treatment and mental health services, Avivo gives residents a diverse toolbox of resources.
“Everyone deserves a home. Period,” Kelly asserted. “Long term housing stability centers around employment and well-being, which we help our residents achieve. With our zero-exclusion philosophy, we believe that everyone who wants a home should have one and everyone who wants to work should be able to do so.”
In addition to their work supporting our residents, Avivo engages in street outreach to meet the immediate needs of our neighbors living without a home. In the summer of 2018 Avivo staff responded to the direct needs of individuals living in the large Minneapolis encampment known as the Wall of Forgotten Natives.
“The encampments sprang-between two of our locations. We simply could not drive by this daily and not do something about it,” Kelly let out a sigh. “We started developing relationships with individuals living in the encampment.”
Going to each tent, Avivo developed relationships and began working to connect people to permanent housing. This work continues as Avivo staff, along with Beacon and Red Lake Nation, responded to the encampments at Powderhorn Park.
“Responding to the needs of individuals living in encampments furthered our relationship with Beacon, and initiated a relationship with Red Lake Nation,” she beamed, celebrating the power of collaboration. “We worked to get over 100 people into housing over the course of six months.”
In response to the recent 2020 encampments, Beacon and Avivo continue to look for ways we can support our neighbors. Click here to learn more about Beacon’s encampment research team.
Amidst a restless year the need for more supportive housing with diverse services and options is dire. Working together to create new homes and support individuals, Beacon is proud to have Avivo as our service provider at Bimosedaa, which in 2022 will be home to about 48 individuals with services tailored for Native Americans who experienced homelessness.
Standing up for our neighbors and responding to what our community needs is vital in the work we do together.
“It takes fearlessness and an unwillingness to stop when it gets hard,” Kelly said with confidence. “It takes passion, desire and collaboration to see that all people have a home.”
It takes $1,000 to cover one month of individualized supportive services, like those provided by Avivo at our Beacon homes. Witnessing hundreds of success stories, Kelly believes that home is a launching pad to greater things. The support our residents get helps them work towards that success.
Unfortunately, too many of our neighbors are locked out of that success due to current housing polices.
“We can’t end homelessness without more affordable housing. That’s why Beacon’s Bring It Home campaign is so important,” she said. “It’s huge, strategic, targeted and brings the whole state into our shared vision.”
Together we work to see that all our neighbors are in a place of wellbeing, and our partnership with organizations like Avivo makes it that much easier. Through their passion for this work, we elevate each other and become better together.
“Sometimes the hard work begins when you get housed,” Kelly smiled, reflecting on our shared work. “Sometimes the hard work begins when you get that first job. There’s hard work involved to be successful in housing. Let’s help people become more successful!”
The power of our collaborative is vital as we continue our work to create new homes with essential supportive services. Click here to read more on Beacon’s service partnerships and take-action by making a gift to help see that all people have a home.
