February 2024 updates from Beacon
Minnesota’s housing crisis hurts us all—Here’s what we can do about it
We all do better when we all have a home we can afford. This core affirmation guides our shared work at Beacon. It draws us together across ZIP code, race, income, and religion, pointing to a key understanding that we are interconnected and that our well-being and futures are linked to our neighbors.
The growing housing crisis we’re facing in Minnesota hurts us all—although some much more than others. We betray our deepest values when families teeter on the edge and are pushed into homelessness when we fail to catch them. Our children suffer because the rent eats first, and it’s eating more and more of the precious few dollars in the family budget. Our health system groans as neighbors seek shelter and respite in emergency rooms at a higher physical and financial cost than it would take to get them a home. Too many of us experience the trauma of not having an affordable place to call home, and all of us and our communities are weakened in one way or another because of it.
But in Minnesota, we show up for one another. We know we’re all interconnected, and we find ways to lift each other up and make tomorrow better. At Beacon, we see the problem and work toward the solutions together. You’ll read about some of those solutions and their impact below. We answer the call to get off the sidelines and onto the field because we know we each have a role to play on the team.
We WILL all do better when we all have a home we can afford. Thank you for affirming this vision through your support of Beacon!
~ Chris LaTondresse, CEO & President
How supportive housing helped Iyanna transform her outlook and achieve her goals
Supportive housing works, and Iyanna proves it.
Before finding a home at Nicollet Square, Iyanna experienced years of instability that had her stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
However, with the stability of supportive housing at Nicollet Square, Iyanna found the strength and resources to address past traumas, establish healthy habits, and pave the way for a future she believes in.
As Iyanna recalls, “For so long, I’d spend my time worrying about the next day, meal, or check. But now that I’m at Nicollet Square, I can transform and strengthen my relationship with myself without needing to worry about tomorrow. Thanks to Nicollet Square, I no longer have to be in fight-or-flight mode.”
With a stable home providing security and stability in her life, Iyanna can shift her focus toward school, getting her driver’s license, and setting new goals.
Discover the rest of Iyanna’s incredible success story by visiting our blog.
Beacon’s Bimosedaa – one part of a vital response to encampment closures
When Minneapolis authorities closed a large encampment— Camp Nenookaasi—on January 4, nearly 200 individuals found themselves entirely without shelter. Only the clothes on their backs now separated them from the frigid windchill and sub-zero temperatures of the Minnesota winter.
We have seen moments like these before, including at the Wall of Forgotten Natives in 2018. As a direct response to the need expressed then, Beacon and our partners Avivo and the Red Lake Nation launched Bimosedaa, whose opening in late December 2023 coincided with the closure at Camp Nenookaasi.
Located in a historic, refurbished building in downtown Minneapolis, Bimosedaa (Ojibwe for “Let’s walk together”) offers 48 homes with culturally relevant support services tailored toward members of the Native community. It is now home to several people who had been living at encampments.
Visit our blog to learn more about Bimosedaa.
Do you have someone you want to introduce to Beacon?
Invite them to our new virtual program—Beacon 101!
Together with Beacon’s Community Connection Manager, Craig Freeman, participants will discover how Beacon went from a single congregation to a leading housing non-profit that serves over 1,100 residents across 20 buildings.
They’ll also learn about how Beacon community members work together to change the landscape of home and how to take meaningful action to work toward the vision that all people have a home.
Additionally, participants will deepen their understanding of the housing crisis in Minnesota to have more meaningful and persuasive discussions around housing issues.
So again, if you have someone you want to introduce to Beacon, send them our way by encouraging them to sign up for Beacon 101. We’ll take it from there!
These events will take place a few times each month, so if you know someone who might like to attend, they have options! Check out our events page for future opportunities.
Featured event: Start with Home Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol building
Minnesota made history last year by passing a $1 billion housing budget.
As exciting as that is, Minnesota needs sustained, long-term investment in affordable housing and equitable housing policies.
If you agree, join us at the Start with Home Rally for Affordable Housing.
This event occurs at the Minnesota State Capitol at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20.
Visit this webpage to register or find additional details.
Regardless of our faith tradition, skin color, ethnicity, economic status, or ZIP code, we all benefit when our neighbors, families, and friends live in safe, secure, and affordable homes.
Join us on February 20 if you agree it’s time to get serious about solutions!
Other upcoming events
Rent is Due: Day of Action on February 7 at 8:30 a.m. (virtual)
Beacon 101 on February 14 at 4:30 p.m. (virtual)
Beacon 101 on February 21 at 8:30 a.m. (virtual)
One more way you can help to ensure all people have a home
Our community members who show up at town halls, the state capitol, and meetings with elected officials allow Beacon to change the landscape of home.
But those opportunities to take action happen only occasionally.
Support the housing justice movement every day by making a gift to Beacon.
Your gift of any size will support the work of organizers, policy experts, storytellers, service coordinators, grant writers, and other leaders whose expertise on staff advances housing justice.
Stretch your impact further by giving a gift today!
