The February 12th Sunday Sharing collection will go to Microgrants, a Minneapolis 501(c) (3) organization founded by Joe Selvaggio, the founder of Project for Pride in Living and the One Percent Club.  Microgrants pools money from its donors to provide monetary grants of $1000 each to industrious low-income individuals.  The grants are intended to help the individual move from survival to real productivity.
 
To make certain that its grants are distributed wisely, Microgrants partners with ten Twin City nonprofits who refer industrious, proven individuals to Microgrants.  Once an individual is selected to receive a grant, these same nonprofits coach and evaluate the use of the grant.  Go to www.microgrants.net to find a list of these partner organizations.  By using these partner agencies, Microgrants is able to assure that at least 92% of every dollar given to Microgrants goes directly to the grant recipients.

Typical grants go for home-based businesses, construction tools, office equipment and supplies, books, job training, tuition, licenses for day-care or cleaning businesses, insurance, down payments on necessary cars and even working capital. 

Many of our other Second Sunday offerings go to organizations that help meet basic survival needs like food, clothing, and housing.  Microgrants moves beyond survival basics to help people develop more of their full potential.  Microgrants helps people help themselves and, in the process, helps build a healthier Twin City community and economy.  Please plan to give on February 12.

 

Oasis for Youth,  a drop in center for youth, in Bloomington, addresses the needs of homeless and precariously housed teens from 16-21. In its second year, three programs are now in place addressing some of the housing needs of youth in the communities of Richfield, Bloomington and Edina.

There is an Emergency Overnight Program for youth 18-21; a Drop in Center with showers, a clothes closet, a laundry facility and an extensive referral network to needed resources, tutoring help, a computer room and more; and a newly formed Host Home Program under the direction of Avenues for Homeless Youth, which finds homes for youth for up to 18 months. Are you an empty nester, do you have an extra room in your house, do you like youth? If you answer “yes” to these questions, you may be a future “host”.

Oasis has applied for 501C3 status and will hire its first case manager within the next few months. Begun as an all volunteer effort, Oasis will continue to be mainly volunteer driven. A  Board has been created, attracting community members with the concern and dedication to see Oasis grow and thrive, along with the youth its serves. The board looks to expand from currently 8 members to 12 to 15 within the next year.

Stop by and visit Oasis during their open hours M-F from 2:30 PM -5:00 PM. Oasis  is in the Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, 2200 West Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington. Two MVUUF members have been involved with Oasis from the very beginning. Talk to Monica Williams or Nan Corliss who will be glad to answer any questions you have, take you on a tour of Oasis or do a presentation for your group. Stop by the table in the foyer on Sunday, January 8th for more information,

Heading Home Hennepin is Hennepin County’s 10-year plan to end homelessness by 2016.  (Because  Music Sunday is the second Sunday of December, our collection will be on the third Sunday this month.)

Working to end homelessness is not only the right thing to do it is cost effective. Nearly 50 percent of all people who are homeless in our community are children and youth. They are in schools often hungry, and unable to concentrate. They are trying to do their homework in crowded shelters or abandoned homes. These children and youth are paying the cost of homelessness now, and we will all pay later when they are not educated, employed and productive.

Heading Home Hennepin has become a model across the country. It works with and provides support for many different agencies, non-profits, faith based organizations, businesses and individuals to achieve its goals. All of that costs money. . Please give generously so that we can help end the cycle of homelessness in our communities.

The Recovery Fund was created to provide for the short- and long-term recovery needs of residents affected by the May 22 tornado. So far over $1,337,160 has been distributed to a variety of nonprofit and public agencies who are addressing the housing and human service needs of residents who were impacted by the May 22, storm which is having long lasting negative impacts in an area which was already one of the poorest in the Cities.
 
Funding covers the following: Housing, Employment, Basic needs, Case Management, Small Business support, and Children and Youth. So far 34 organizations have received funding including: Habitat for Humanity, North Community YMCA, Tree Trust, The Northside Achievement Zone, The Boys and Girls Clubs and various community organizations including those making loans to small businesses to help rebuild.

This is the largest Hmong organization in Minnesota. Based in Saint Paul, HAP provides Hmong and other refugee communities with services and support to help them adjust to life in American and maximize available opportunities. Since its inception in 1990, Hmong American Partnership has steadily grown from offering just a few programs focused on providing refugee resettlement services to several hundred persons to becoming a full-fledged social service agency with programs serving several thousand community members each year.  HAP meets the standards of Charities Review Council.

According to a recent article in the Star Tribune, more than one in ten Minnesotans live below the poverty level. This Sunday's collection will benefit VEAP, an organization that provides emergency food, transportation and social service support to low-income residents of Bloomington, Edina, Richfield and South Minneapolis.xx