Our mission ...

to provide emergency shelter, short term housing and support services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment.  Through such service, Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and find a positive transition into young adulthood.

MISSION:

The mission of Avenues for Homeless Youth is to provide emergency shelter, short term housing and support services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. Through such service, Avenues seeks to help youth achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood.

HISTORY:

Avenues for Homeless Youth was created to address the lack of safe shelter for homeless young people in the Twin Cities metropolitan area who could not be reunified with their families due to abuse, abandonment, neglect or exploitation. Facing adult like issues and a grim future - lack of housing, unemployment, incomplete education and lack of access to healthcare - many of these young people were moving from youth homelessness and crisis into adult long term homelessness.

Avenues for Homeless Youth opened its doors on December 5, 1994 as Project Foundation. In January 2004, the organization created a new strategic plan, a new mission statement, and a new vision statement. The new name, Avenues for Homeless Youth was selected because it describes the population served and its commitment to achieving measurable outcomes.

Since its opening, Avenues has served more than 2,000 homeless youth. Most recently, Avenues took in the GLBT Host Home Program, and has added on-site mental health and nursing consultation and education to its core programming.

ACTIVITIES:

Avenues for Homeless Youth works to empower youth who are transitioning out of homelessness through the following programs:

Emergency shelter and transitional housing with supportive services at our North Minneapolis house for youth ages 16-21. Program includes:

(1) basic needs support - clean bed, three meals per day, personal hygiene supplies, laundry facilities, clothing and bus passes, 24 hours per day caring by trained staff

(2) intensive case management services and ongoing aftercare

(3) physical and mental health assessment and treatment

(4) learning and practice in independent living skills - nutrition, meal preparation, healthy lifestyles, financial management

(5) employment and educational support.

GLBT Host Home Program, providing transitional living arrangements for homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and young adults ages 16-21 in safe, supportive host homes.

Central to Avenues' programming is our focus on each youth's individual plan for leaving poverty and homelessness behind and moving onto independent living. Youth address five primary goals in their individual plans: (1) obtain stable housing, (2) obtain employment, (3) continue or compete education, (4) develop / maintain psychological well-being, and (5) develop / maintain physical well-being.

Avenues' supportive case management, personal enrichment, mentoring and aftercare services provide the foundation upon which youth can build a solid future. Most importantly, incorporated throughout the program, youth actively participate in self-determination through their independent case plan, weekly house meetings, empowerment groups (expression through art groups, men's group and women's empowerment group), and opportunities for youth to play an active role in community life through volunteerism, leadership and community service.