Beacon Interfaith

Beacon Academy: 1-1 Skill Building
2021-02-18 17:00 - 18:30, 2021-03-18 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us for our inaugural monthly 1-1 training and practice session!
We’re always talking about the fact that 1-1 relational visits comprise the core building block of our organizing, so we want to make sure we’re putting our words into action. Drop in for an informal mini-training and practice opportunity.
We’ll plan to hold these every 3rd Thursday at this time, so if you can’t make this month you can make the next!

Legislative Meeting: Sen. Fateh
2021-02-22 15:00 - 16:00
Join us to welcome Senator Omar Fateh (62 – Minneapolis), one of our newly elected legislators in Minnesota. His support of Bring It Home, MN will make a huge difference as we work to ensure all people have a home. Whether you live, work, or worship in the district or can show up in solidarity, join us to introduce him to Beacon!

Hennepin Summit
2021-02-22 18:30 - 19:30
We’d like to gather leaders in Minneapolis and Suburban Hennepin County to get everyone up to date on what’s coming up in our region!
You have all been showing up in amazing ways this year and it is having an impact. We are now poised to do some pretty powerful work this spring: ambitious plans to meet with City Council members, a few more of our urban legislators, Met Council members and County Commissioners. All toward the goal of creating more homes for families with the lowest incomes and keeping people in the homes they have. If we have learned anything this year it’s how essential our voices are in keeping a focus on this.
So this summit of awesome Hennepin leaders will give you and your teams a chance to see what you are working on in the big picture and make educated choices about where your congregation can make the biggest difference by showing up. We hope someone will attend from each congregation in Hennepin County.

Beacon Now: Current Projects - 2/24/21
2021-02-24 14:00 - 14:30
Whether you’re brand new to Beacon or have been a supporter for years, we invite you to attend a virtual “Beacon Now” session. In this session, we’ll touch on the basics of Beacon’s work, go in depth on one aspect of that work, and discuss how we can make a difference for our neighbors now. Encampments of neighbors without a home are again growing. Racial disparities in housing continue to harm communities of color. This session will cover all current Beacon projects. Join us to learn more and find out how you can get involved in Beacon’s work.

Clergy & Religious Leaders Gathering - 02/25/21
2021-02-25 09:00 - 10:15
Clergy and staff leaders of Beacon congregations are invited to gather monthly for reflection, discussion, and support. Hosted by Beacon organizers, we’ll explore topics related to congregations’ work on shelter, housing and policy and strengthen our collaborative for a prophetic presence in the public arena. Drop in for one, or attend them all! Meetings will be virtual.

Rent is Due: Day of Action - 3/01/21
2021-03-01 08:30 - 09:00
Our vision is that all people have a home. The pandemic and economic crisis are building into an eviction crisis, which could add to the already too large number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. We cannot let this happen, and home is the solution.
We need Bring It Home, MN, a rent subsidy program that will allow all low-income Minnesotans the security and reassurance of home.
On Monday, March 1, join us at 8:30 a.m. for a thirty-minute update meeting, where we will learn more about the growing crisis, and reflect on how to take action together.
Please register below to let us know you will participate and to receive further instructions on how to access the meeting.
We look forward to joining with you on March 1.

Leadership Assembly
2021-03-01 16:00 - 18:00
We love getting our leaders together, and know you love it too! Our next Leadership Assembly will be on Monday, March 1st from 4 – 6 p.m. We will hold a brief social media training for all those wanting to learn how to effectively use Facebook, Twitter and other tools in promoting your events and Beacon’s campaigns. We’ll also provide a Bring It Home, MN update and share the campaign to fully fund Vista 44 and Emerson Village. Finally, we’ll spend time learning with and from each other on all the ways we can engage people as this unimaginable virtual world continues.

Beacon Now: Current Projects - 3/03/21
2021-03-03 14:00 - 14:30

Legislative Meeting: Rep. Greenman
2021-03-05 12:30 - 13:15
Join us to welcome Representative Emma Greenman (63B – Minneapolis / Richfield), one of our newly elected legislators in Minnesota. Her support of Bring It Home, MN will make a huge difference as we work to ensure all people have a home. Whether you live, work, or worship in the district or can show up in solidarity, join us to introduce her to Beacon!
**Please note: this event was originally slated to begin at 1 p.m. but will now begin at 12:30 p.m.**

Starting Your Beacon Leadership Team
2021-03-09 18:00 - 20:30
Beacon Leadership Teams (or BLTs as we like to call them) are the necessary liaison between the congregation and the collaborative. This workshop focuses on who to look for in creating your team, how to develop leaders and engage your congregation, and how to develop an organizing plan that connects your faith traditions to the work of the collaborative in housing and policy.

Beacon Now: Current Projects
2021-03-10 14:00 - 14:30, 2021-03-17 14:00 - 14:30, 2021-03-24 14:00 - 14:30, 2021-03-31 14:00 - 14:30
Whether you’re brand new to Beacon or have been a supporter for years, we invite you to attend a virtual “Beacon Now” session. In this session, we’ll touch on the basics of Beacon’s work, go in depth on one aspect of that work, and discuss how we can make a difference for Minnesotans now. Encampments of people without a home are again growing. Racial disparities in housing continue to harm communities of color. This session will cover all current Beacon projects. Join us to learn more and find out how you can get involved in Beacon’s work.

Legislative Meeting: Sen. Murphy
2021-03-14 14:00 - 14:45
Join us to welcome Senator Erin Murphy (64 – St. Paul), one of our newly elected legislators in Minnesota. Her support of Bring It Home, MN will make a huge difference as we work to ensure all people have a home. Whether you live, work, or worship in the district or can show up in solidarity, join us to talk with her about housing, Beacon, and Bring it Home, MN!

Light the Way Home
2021-03-16 16:00 - 16:45
Working together, we believe it’s possible for all people to have a home. If we join our voices and our resources, we believe we have the power to see this happen in our lifetimes. Ensuring this future will require the investment of both public and private funds.
It takes nearly $4 million from our community each year to push our work forward. Thousands of people give what they can as a testament to their values.
Light the Way Home is a series of virtual fundraising events where attendees are invited to give generously and introduce others to our vision. Light the Way Home offers an invitation for you to give generously or in any way that’s meaningful to you.
**Please select “Attendee: Quantity 1” below to begin your registration:

Legislative Meeting: Sen. Draheim
2021-03-17 09:30 - 10:00
Join us on Wednesday March 17th from 9:30 – 10 a.m. as we meet with Senator Rich Draheim, Chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee.
In this legislative visit we will learn more about Senator Draheim’s vision for housing in Minnesota, share our own, and ask that our bill, Bring It Home, MN, gets a hearing in his Senate Committee in the 2021 legislative session!

Funding Home: A Conversation with Mayor Frey
2021-03-22 11:00 - 12:00
Did you know that the City of Minneapolis invests millions every year in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund? This is one of the sources of capital that has helped our collaborative build housing like Bimosedaa and Lydia Apartments. But only 20% of the apartments funded in 2020 were affordable for people earning incomes below $30,000 – and we think the City should commit to increasing that. Join the Emerson Village team leaders for a conversation with Mayor Frey about how the Trust Fund could better live up to its potential as a powerful tool to reduce homelessness.

Legislative Meeting: Rep. Heather Edelson - 3/24/21
2021-03-24 10:00 - 10:45
Join us in conversation with State Representative Heather (District 49A– Edina). Her recent support of Bring It Home, MN will make a huge difference as we work to ensure all people have a home. Whether you live, work, or worship in the district or can show up in solidarity, join us to talk with her about housing, Beacon, and Bring it Home, MN!
Register below to receive instructions for how to attend this virtual event.

Clergy & Religious Leaders Gathering - 03/25/21
2021-03-25 09:00 - 10:15

Beacon Academy: Building Home
2021-03-30 18:00 - 20:00
Do you know what the three buckets of funding are needed to create affordable homes? Can you describe what supportive housing is? Here’s the tough one – who does it include when we say our focus is creating homes for those at 30% of the area median income (AMI)?
Building Home is our introduction to housing development – no experience necessary!

Rent is Due: Day of Action - 4/01/21
2021-04-01 08:30 - 09:00
Our vision is that all people have a home. The pandemic and economic crisis are building into an eviction crisis, which could add to the already too large number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. We cannot let this happen, and home is the solution.
We need Bring It Home, MN, a rent subsidy program that will allow all low-income Minnesotans the security and reassurance of home.
On Thursday, April 1, join us at 8:30 a.m. for a thirty-minute update meeting, where we will learn more about the growing crisis, and reflect on how to take action together.
Please register below to let us know you will participate and to receive further instructions on how to access the meeting.
We look forward to joining with you on April 1.

Beacon Now: Racism & Housing - 4/7/21
2021-04-07 14:00 - 14:30
Whether you’re brand new to Beacon or have been a supporter for years, we invite you to attend a virtual “Beacon Now” session. In this session, we’ll touch on the basics of Beacon’s work, go in depth on one aspect of that work, and discuss how we can make a difference for Minnesotans now. Encampments of people without a home are again growing. Racial disparities in housing continue to harm communities of color. This season will start to explore the history of racism in housing that causes these disparities.

Power Tools: Leadership for Change Virtual Workshop Series
2021-04-11 10:00 - 2021-04-12 18:00
To create the change needed to ensure all people have a home, we need skilled leaders able to build meaningful relationships with decision makers, hold power and act effectively in the public arena. This two-part virtual workshop focuses on how we understand and use power to address issues of homelessness; ways to act on individual and congregational interest; how to build powerful public relationships; tools to plan and act strategically; and how to participate in actions and campaigns that channel power and build the capacity of leaders, congregations and the collaborative.
This workshop is composed of two virtual sessions:
1. Sunday, April 11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
2. Monday, April 12 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
We ask participants to share in the cost of this workshop and suggest $50 per person. Congregations may also wish to cover costs to invest in the leadership of their members. We don’t want cost to be a barrier for anyone to attend, so please contact Deb Rodgers about a scholarship if needed.
Core training for Beacon Leadership Team members, key leaders, clergy and faith leaders in Beacon congregations. We recommend six months’ experience with Beacon or with your congregation’s leadership team before attending this workshop.
Registration for this event is closed. Please contact Deb Rodgers if you would still like to attend.

Funding Home: Hennepin Commissioner Conversation
2021-04-13 19:00 - 20:00
Often the most important things are the most difficult. Funding homes for people at the lowest incomes is one of those very important things. And because what we do takes all kinds of funding, it is also one of the most difficult.
Hennepin County is a primary funding source for creating homes for families. In May, the county commissioners will vote on which homes get built, for whom and when.
Despite our many conversations with county commissioners, roadblocks to funding homes (this year) like Emerson Village and Vista 44 remain. Few commitments have been made. And although the county says they share our priority to support those at the lowest income, the funding allocated to homes for those families hasn’t actually been prioritized.
Be part of one or all of the three meetings with county commissioners in April as we invite them to join us in prioritizing funding homes for those that struggle the most finding a safe, stable place to live.
This event will feature North Hennepin congregations and leaders, and District 1 Commissioner Jeffery Lunde and District 2 Commissioner Irene Fernando.
Funding Home terms to know

Beacon Now: Racism & Housing - 4/14/21
2021-04-14 14:00 - 14:30

Beacon Academy: 1-1 Skill Building
2021-04-15 17:00 - 18:30
Join us for our inaugural monthly 1-1 training and practice session!
We’re always talking about the fact that 1-1 relational visits comprise the core building block of our organizing, so we want to make sure we’re putting our words into action. Drop in for an informal mini-training and practice opportunity.
We’ll plan to hold these every 3rd Thursday at this time (For January, we had to move to the 4th due to a conflict) so if you can’t make this month you can make the next!

Funding Home: Hennepin Commissioner Conversation
2021-04-19 19:00 - 20:15
Often the most important things are the most difficult. Funding homes for people at the lowest incomes is one of those very important things. And because what we do takes all kinds of funding, it is also one of the most difficult.
Hennepin County is a primary funding source for creating homes for families. In May, the county commissioners will vote on which homes get built, for whom and when.
Despite our many conversations with county commissioners, roadblocks to funding homes (this year) like Emerson Village and Vista 44 remain. Few commitments have been made. And although the county says they share our priority to support those at the lowest income, the funding allocated to homes for those families hasn’t actually been prioritized.
Be part of one or all of the three meetings with county commissioners in April as we invite them to join us in prioritizing funding homes for those that struggle the most finding a safe, stable place to live.
This event will feature South Hennepin congregations and leaders, and District 3 Commissioner Marion Greene, District 4 Commissioner Angela Conley, and District 5 Commissioner Debbie Goettel.
Funding Home terms to know

Beacon Now: Racism & Housing - 4/21/21
2021-04-21 14:00 - 14:30
