Avenues for Youth has been supporting homeless youth and young adults for over 30 years, staying focused on their core values of equity, community, respect and dignity, trust, liberation, and anti-oppression.
The North Minneapolis Avenues for Youth supports young people 18-24 years old, and the Brooklyn Park shelter helps 16 to 20-year-olds. They have different programs to meet the needs of these young people, whether they need a place to stay for one night or one year. They also help with educational, career, health and wellness goals.
Avenues Young Family Program provides young moms with children stable housing and support. Many of these women are escaping domestic abuse. After helping them find an apartment in the area they choose, Avenues helps them find furniture and support for their child so they can excel. They have a 100% success rate with these young women taking over their leases.
The ConneQT Host Home program provides LGBTQI+ youth culturally responsive housing within their community of choice. These youth experience oppression and violence at a much higher rate than others, so being hosted by members of their own community helps them build trusting relationships as they work towards independence.
Kevin Kjonaas, Associate Director of Development & Communications, shared that Avenues for Youth “is super grateful for the relationship they have with Advent.” Over half of their funding is from individual gifts, businesses and events. Building on Dreams 2025 is a free event on March 27 in Minneapolis to help raise awareness of the work that Avenues for Youth does to help with the crisis of homeless youth. There are around 4,900 youth with no place to call home on any given night in Minnesota.
Advent can be so proud of our continued support for this amazing organization. They are our Gift of Love through March. To everyone who gives to our Gift of Love, you are making a difference in a young person’s life!
