People Serving People

Here's a fun fact to kickstart your Friday: On this day, 34 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law! This is why the United States observes Disability Pride Month in July. Want to hear another cool fact? Our downtown shelter has 10 Supportive Housing apartments that serve families with disabilities. These two-bedroom apartments are part of our Supportive Housing (SH) program, which offers long-term, affordable housing to families with a disabled parent or child. No one knows the impact of our SH program quite like Ashley. She's been a SH resident at People Serving People for over 7 years! As SH guests, Ashley and her family have access to our Advocates, our daycare, our clinic, and more. Having this additional support has been crucial for Ashley, who struggles with her mental health. “There’s a lot of misconceptions when it comes to what a disability is, because there are a bunch of people that don’t have a disability you can see," said Ashley. "...My mental health keeps me from doing daily stuff. I have a hard time getting my home cleaned up. I have hard time sometimes getting in the shower and just getting stuff done that I need to get done. So, I have constant support here that I can rely on. Like if I need something I can go down to the Advocates and go ‘Hey this is what’s going on. Is there a service that I can get a hold of?'" She is particularly grateful for our educational services, which she's used for her son, Logan (age 9), and her daughter, River (age 2). "I love all the daycare staff here! They all love River and Logan... I don’t think either of them would be where they are without the daycare here, because of all the developmental stuff they work on." Having a stable home and a reliable, on-site support network has helped Ashley focus on taking care of herself and her loved ones. During her time at People Serving People, Ashley completed her GED and started studying for her associate's degree. She's also taken steps to improve her mental and emotional wellbeing. “I feel like stuff is getting done more with my mental health," she said. "...Knowing that, if I have to go out, I’m coming back to a place that I know is there and it (makes everything) so much better.” Ashley's story truly exemplifies why supportive housing is so vital! As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, let's advocate for more affordable, accessible housing that supports the many amazing disabled folks in our community. #FunFactFriday #DisabilityPrideMonth

On this #ThankfulThursday, we want to express our gratitude to the staff at Thrivent. They collected tons of materials for our school supply drive earlier this month! Thanks to generous folks like them, our students will have the supplies they need to have a successful school year. Our drive ends on August 26, which gives you more than enough time to make a donation. Shop our school supply registries to get the perfect items for our young scholars: Amazon - loom.ly/ENAlUZM Target - loom.ly/GInVrzE Please send or drop-off your donations to 614 S 3rd Street in Minneapolis, MN 55415. Thank you!

Do you have significant knowledge and experience in grant proposal writing and reporting? If so, you should look into our open Senior Institutional Giving Manager position! This role leads the planning and execution of a strategic grants and institutional funding plan. Find all the details on this position and start your application at loom.ly/NUfscZ8.

The upcoming presidential election is on everyone's mind, but let's not forget that state primaries are also right around the corner! Be sure to vote in the Minnesota primaries on August 13. If you still need to register to vote, you can do so in advance by July 23. This will help you save time on Primary Election Day! You can register to vote, view your ballot, and more at MNvotes.org.

You have the chance to eat some awesome food and support People Serving People this month! Just dine-in or order online at any Craft & Crew location throughout July and select the round-up feature during checkout. Your bill will round up to the nearest dollar and the extra cents will be donated to our shelter. We’re so thankful to Craft & Crew Hospitality and their co-owner, Luke Derheim, for featuring us in this great program for multiple years in a row!

Never underestimate the power of small, recurring gifts! A gift of just $10 a month can have an incredible, long-lasting impact on our work. When you become a monthly donor, you help us sustain our services so we can provide families with consistent, holistic support. Set up a recurring donation today at loom.ly/ey7Znrg!

The next few days are expected to be very hot and humid, which is why you should know the signs of heat stroke! Nausea, dizziness, a throbbing headache, dry skin, and a rapid pulse are just some of the symptoms to look out for. If you've been out in the heat and begin to experience these symptoms, try to cool down immediately. Drinking lots of cold water helps, but it's important to have a shaded, cool spot to retreat to. Not everyone has a reliable, air-conditioned place where they can take refuge. That's why this time of year is so deadly for folks experiencing homelessness. If you or someone you know needs a place to cool down, Hennepin County can help! They created a map of places that can provide relief from the blazing heat. Visit their website to view your local cooling options: www.hennepin.us/cool. P.S. - If air conditioning is part of your lease, but your AC unit is broken, then you can file an emergency repair request. If your landlord doesn't fix the problem within 24 hours notice, you can file an Emergency Tenants Remedies Action (ETRA) in court. Get all the details on filing an ETRA at loom.ly/nJIa_jI.

Diapers are always in high demand at People Serving People. We provide guests with free diapers at our front desk, but our stock is dwindling fast! You can support the families at our shelter by donating diapers, particularly in sizes 4-6, to 614 S 3rd Street in Minneapolis, MN 55415. Your help is much appreciated!

Give your child a strong start by enrolling them in our Center of Excellence (COE)! The COE provides infants and children with a high-quality, healing-centered education so they can grow up to be their best selves. Preschool spots will open on September 1, but there are currently open spots in both our Preschool Prep and Infant classes. You can learn more about the COE and access our enrollment forms at https://lnkd.in/eKt-fYFw.

What do you get when you subscribe to People Serving People's e-newsletter? You'll receive information on past and upcoming events, new volunteer shifts, advocacy opportunities, and more straight to your inbox! Sign up now at loom.ly/tEuQwCw.