5. HRSR 03-07-2011iTEhi # 5.
MEMORANDUM
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TO: Housing & Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic Development
DATE: March 7, 201 I
SUBJECT: BASIC Outreach Update
At its January 2011 meeting the HRA received invitation from BASIC Outreach to attend a
community meeting on January 13, 2011. HRA Commissioner Lieser was able to attend the
meeting and has provided the attached summary which she will discuss at the HRA meeting.
BASIC Outreach is a 501c3 nonprofit that is working to provide a network of temporary
shelters for the homeless in the communities of Elk River, Big Lake, Monticello,
Zimmerman, Princeton, Otsego, and Rogers.
N:\Departments\Community Development\Economic Development\HRA to move\Agenda\Yeax2011\BASIC 3.7.11.doc
Basic Outreach meeting Jan. 13~'.
Basic Outreach has changed there name to "Great River Family Promise".
Great River Family Promise is still working on there goal of 13 host churches to house
Homeless Families over night for one week each quarter of the year. Right now they
have 5 churches all in the Elk River area who did open there doors around Thanksgiving
of 2009, with Faith in Action screening the families. There were no reports of anyone
using the shelter during those 5 weeks it was open. Sherburne county human resource
does give out the information to call Faith in Action for shelter, but many Homeless want
to know what there day will look like in a program such as Great River Family Promise.
As of right now in Sherburne county Great River Family Promise is looking for more
volunteers to help serve on 4 different committees in order to help the Homeless in
Sherburne County. If you're interested in attending there next meeting will be held at
Christ Church in Otsego, February 10th from 7pm-9pm.
4 committees are:
Host Congregation Recruitment Committee: Will look for 13 churches in Sherburne
County to be hosts of overnight guests. 3-5 people
Day Center Committee: Will find resources for a day center. Families are allowed to
sleep overnight in the churches, but during the day they have to leave, so providing a day
center for the families to hang out at with showers is necessary. 2-3 people
Transportation Committee: This committee will secure the most cost-effective
transportation between the day center and host congregation. 1-2 people
Fundraising Committee: This committee will estimate expenses, plan fundraiser's, and
write grants. 3-5 people
Family Promise will screen the families for criminal background or abuse. If anything
shows up the family will not be able to be in the program. Mister minors are O.K.
Our last meeting we heard from Central MN Housing Partnership about the Continuum
of Care program. On January 26th they were going to count the homeless. Sherburne
County human resource and Great River Family Promise is talking about contacting them
about this count.
Anoka County has a successful Family Promise program that they started in 2009. They
are full every night serving 4 families each night. The longest period that they have
hosted the same family is one month.
I personally know a family of 6 that have been displace from there home and now living with a
grandparent. The children are being home schooled as they now live outside their school district. Also 4
summers ago our family took in a homeless teenager to stay with us, she was lucky that the relationship
with her parents improved and she was able to move back home.