by Susan Dowd, Outreach Committee member
St. Stephen’s Church has enjoyed a long partnership with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. Our relationship began in 2013 when a St. Stephen’s program called The Michelle Project became a part of Beacon’s services to homeless families. Beacon’s vision is that “all people have a home.” They work towards fulfilling this vision by being a collaborative of congregations who are united in action to create homes and advance equitable housing.
The Beacon project most recognizable by the St. Stephen’s community is 66 West Apartments, which provides housing and support services to previously homeless youth. The building is located in Edina, near Southdale. It opened in 2017 and has been a great success. In 2021, 66 West served 43 youth, 100% of whom were exiting homelessness. Of these 90% identified as BIPOC (black, indigenous, or people of color) and~25% identified as LGBTQ. Living at 66 West is a temporary but crucial stop on their journey to living on their own.
St. Stephen’s parishioner Jackie Sullivan, who has been deeply involved with Beacon as a board member and tireless advocate for nearly a decade, remembers how surprised many people in our parish were in 2014 to learn how many homeless youth were in our local community. “As we listened and learned more,” said Jackie, “we heard from parishioners working in local schools who recognized suburban youth homelessness as an issue.” St. Stephen’s Outreach Committee granted Beacon $50,000 that year, and many generous parishioners assisted with personal donations and advocacy work as well.
Our relationship with Beacon continues! This March, the Outreach Committee approved a grant of $20,000 in support of Beacon’s Seeds of Home initiative. This grant is an overarching strategic investment to support Beacon’s continued development of affordable housing in Twin Cities communities. The initiative encompasses identifying sites for housing development, designing housing to meet community needs, securing funding for capital and operations, and partnering with local organizations for supportive services and programs for residents.
FUNDING ST. STEPHEN’S OUTREACH
The Outreach dollars available each year for St. Stephen’s Outreach grants and activities come from two sources. 100% of the funds raised at our annual Bash After Dark event go directly to this ministry. In addition, the gifts given by our generous Bridge Builders, the name we use for those who’ve committed a gift to our St. Stephen’s Endowment Fund, provide annual funds dedicated to outreach.
Learn more about becoming a Bridge Builder and watch for communications in the coming months as we get ready for Bash After Dark 2022!
