How a gift from Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church helped create home
Written by Dylan Novacek, Content Specialist
In February 2023, following months of discernment, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church voted to gift Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative $895,000 to create new homes at Emerson Village and Bimosedaa. Through their generosity, the congregation expresses their deepest faith values as they help in our shared Beacon mission.
“This gift aligns with our faith practice of Risk-Taking & Service at a fundamental level,” shared Pastor Laura Hannah, Associate-Pastor at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church. “We believe stable housing is a foundational building block for everyone in our community to be able to thrive. When stable housing is achieved, other areas of difficulty are more easily tackled.”
With about 50 high-quality apartments at Bimosedaa set to open soon, and construction beginning at Emerson Village, the impact of the congregation’s gift is already being felt.
“I was privileged enough to take part in the moving groundbreaking ceremony for Emerson Village. We are thrilled to have made this significant investment in our community by supporting Beacon in the construction of homes like Emerson Village and Bimosedaa,” Pastor Laura continued.
(Pictured: Emerson Village groundbreaking. Left to right: Heidi Goldman-Gray -Vice President of Advancement and Communications, Beacon resident Amanda and her family, Pastor Laura.)
It takes a collaborative to see that all people have a home. When individuals and congregations of different faith backgrounds join together in this work, we’re able to make homes like Emerson Village and Bimosedaa a reality.
“Hennepin Avenue is so proud to partner with Beacon in ways that meaningfully and tangibly change lives,” cheered Pastor Elizabeth Macaulay, Lead Pastor at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.
“We’re so grateful to be part of this vital project that will improve the lives of individuals and families in our beloved city,” Pastor Laura concluded.
Beacon is proud to have 100+ congregations collaborating with us to change the landscape of home. Are you interested in learning the ways you or your congregation can get involved? Click here to learn more.
