The Link

05/19/2026

We are proud to feature Apple Autos as our May Community Champions!

Apple Autos has been a dedicated partner to The Link for the past 6 years—generously sponsoring events, elevating our mission, and standing alongside us in the work to end youth homelessness and s*xual exploitation.

“Apple Autos has always believed in investing in the next generation. The Link is doing the heavy, meaningful work of making sure we first have a healthy generation to invest in.”

Read more:

In this series, we celebrate the individuals whose dedication, compassion, and commitment are helping young people thrive, and whose...

05/18/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Quorum Community Leadership Award Winners! 🌈✨

The Link is honored to partner with many of these incredible businesses, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations who are helping build a stronger, more inclusive community for LGBTQIA+ youth and families.

Special congratulations to our friends and longtime supporters Andrea Jenkins, A Bar of Their Own, and Jason Fletcher of Fletcher's Ice Cream! We’re also excited to join the celebration at Twin Cities Pride again this year. 🏳️‍🌈

Congratulations to the remarkable winners of Quorum’s 2026 Community Leadership Awards! In a year defined by unprecedented challenges, rapid change, and moments that have tested our communities in new ways, your leadership has not only endured—it has risen to meet the moment. With an overwhelming number of nominations, our selection committee faced the welcome challenge of choosing from an extraordinary group of candidates whose dedication, resilience, and impact stood out in powerful ways.

In recognition of the times we’re living in, we are especially proud to introduce a new award category: Community Changemaker. This honor celebrates individuals, businesses, and organizations who have stepped forward in real time—responding to recent events with courage, creativity, and a deep commitment to supporting others when it matters most.

We invite everyone to join us on May 15th for the Awards celebration as we honor these exceptional leaders in person. Together, we’ll recognize their achievements, share stories that inspire action, and celebrate the strength and connection that define our community.

Congratulations again to this year’s winners, and thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful recognition of leadership in action. Here’s to continuing the work—together.

Business Leader of the Year-Jason Fletcher/Fletcher's Ice Cream
Business of the Year-A Bar of Their Own
Nonprofit of the Year-OutFront Minnesota
Inclusion Leader of the Year- Shawn Wimberly
Ally of the Year-J.D. Hoyt's
Young Professionals of the Year-Nicholas Drewes and Ky Bradford
Lifetime Achievement Award-Andrea Jenkins
Community Changemakers- The Smitten Kitten and Twin Cities Pride

05/18/2026

Shout out to our youth leaders who represented The Link at the Heading Home Ramsey County, Minnesota Youth Advisory Board’s Flipping Tables event this month—a powerful, youth-led space where young people shared their lived experiences in the workforce and spoke honestly about what they need to succeed in jobs, training, and school-to-career pathways.

We are honored to work alongside young people with lived experience of homelessness who help guide The Link's programs, shape our advocacy, and build connections that expand access to housing, opportunity, and stability for other youth.

05/16/2026

Thank you to our friends at Element Fleet Management for their incredible support of youth at The Link!

Their team recently shared their time and resources to pack:
✨ 126 Snack Packs (including 12 gluten-free packs!)
✨ 125 Hygiene Kits
✨ 80 Menstrual Kits

These essential items will help ensure young people in our programs have access to food, hygiene products, and basic necessities as they work toward safety and stability.

We are so grateful for partners like Element Fleet who show up for youth in meaningful and practical ways. Thank you for making a difference in our community!

05/15/2026

☀️🍦 89° in Minneapolis today = officially ice cream weather

Consider this your sign to head to Fletcher's Ice Cream in Northeast today! Treat yourself to a scoop (or two) and ask to round up your purchase to support the youth at The Link. 💛

Every rounded-up dollar goes right back into supporting young people with housing, safety, basic needs, and stability.

We’re so grateful to Fletcher’s for their continued support of The Link throughout the month of May!

05/15/2026

Join us for our upcoming Virtual Lunch & Learn on Thursday, May 21 from 11 AM–12 PM. ✨

Whether you’re new to The Link or have been supporting or volunteering for years, we invite you to learn about the issues young people are facing and our dedication to doing whatever it takes to support youth on their journeys toward safety and stability.

Together, we’ll take a deep dive into The Link — from our history to our impact, and everything in between.

🔗 Registration link for 5/21 in the comments!

05/12/2026

Thank you to our partners at Optum for their continued investment in youth and young families at The Link! 👏

The Optum team recently volunteered to pack 550 snack packs for youth in our programs. These ready-to-eat snacks will help restock all 4️⃣ of our youth food pantries. Our staff also love bringing snack packs to case management meetings with youth at school or in the community—helping brighten their day and ensure they have something to eat.

We are so grateful for community partners like Optum who help ensure youth feel supported, cared for, and seen. Thank you for making a tangible difference in the lives of the young people we serve!

05/11/2026

We’re excited to spotlight UpLift North as part of The Link’s Community Champions Series! 💜

Through their incredible volunteer-driven work, UpLift North helps meet critical needs for children and families across the Twin Cities — from clothing and food support to crisis response services. Over the past two years, they’ve partnered with The Link to help meet the urgent needs of youth survivors of s*xual exploitation.

We’re grateful for their compassion, partnership, and commitment to uplifting our community.

Read more in our latest blog post ⬇️

In this series, we celebrate the individuals whose dedication, compassion, and commitment are helping young people thrive, and whose...

05/07/2026

This Mother’s Day season, we’re celebrating the incredible strength, dedication, and love of the young moms at The Link. 💜

Many of the young parents we serve are transitioning out of homelessness and working hard every day to create safety, stability, and brighter futures for their little ones.

Can you help us raise $600 by Sunday to support three new moms as they begin this next chapter? Every dollar will go directly toward purchasing essential items to meet urgent needs.

You can also support all the amazing moms at The Link by purchasing much-needed baby essentials and self-care items through our Amazon Wish List.

From diapers and wipes to car seats, postpartum supplies, and formula, every contribution helps young moms feel supported, cared for, and empowered as they build strong foundations for their families.

🔗 Amazon Wish List in comments

05/05/2026

“If we were able to expand and have additional emergency shelters and additional housing, we would be able to help all these s*x trafficking victims that we’re not able to help right now,” [The Link's CEO Beth] Holger said.

The Link and members of the Youth Services Network are proud to be partnering with Representative Heather Keeler to advocate for additional funding to support survivors of s*x trafficking.

Thank you to Representative Keeler for her continued leadership in the movement to end youth s*x trafficking in Minnesota!

A Minnesota House bill proposes to eliminate a tax exemption for luxury suites at sporting events in an attempt to help fund youth recovery services. Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL- Moorhead) said the proposal would send revenue to Minnesota’s Safe Harbor Program, which helps s*xually exploited youth ac...