APFY staff are seeking community member’s efforts to help adult men and women who are experiencing temporary and long-term homelessness or who are living in poverty by providing these individuals with comfort, support, and health during their stay at the shelter. Volunteerism, collaboration, and community involvement play an important role in building a foundation for the shelter’s success. Join us in our efforts to overcome rural homelessness in central Minnesota. APFY can be found on www.mealtrain.com, a convenient and easy tool for scheduling and organizing group meals! To find A Place For You on mealtrain.com, follow these simple steps:
1. Go to the link http://www.mealtrain.com?id=m9rpb6f6x7rt from your web browser (this link will be accessible on our website that will be up and running for your viewing soon!)
2. On the meal train page for A Place For You, there are two options displayed in the center of the page. Select the option to sign in to your already existing account if you already use meal train OR select the option to create a new account.
3. After you are signed in, chose an available date to book and enter the food items/dishes you plan on bringing to the shelter. A Place for You requires the support of the community to be successful. We have great partners in our communities. However, we are always looking for ways to build our organization to help more people and further our mission. While we serve 95-110 people a year, we receive more than 300 calls yearly from people needing help. We serve Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine Counties. Our service area is large and rural. Homelessness in rural areas does not look the same as in urban areas. The most significant barriers we see are low income, lack of transportation, and lack of social networks. Homelessness in our rural areas is not as visible. Encampments tend to be outside of towns. Campers, sheds, vehicles, and overcrowded houses are the most common scenarios for homelessness in these areas. People struggling in this situation do what it takes to survive. Many people do not have access to phone or internet services, running water, transportation, electricity, and heat. Mental health and chemical dependency issues tend to go unchecked due to difficulty accessing services. Unfortunately, domestic crimes, including assault, s*x crimes, and neglect, can thrive in these isolating situations. It is a common conception that homeless people need to get a job and start paying their way. Employment is a big part of success for many people. However, not having a safe place to sleep at night makes it hard to maintain a job and get to appointments. Very few people who come to the shelter are employed. Most people we serve are struggling with a disability and on a fixed monthly income lower than the average rental unit. We have found that most people need stability before they are successful. Starting over can be the best time to look inward and explore what might be happening. Our first steps are usually helping people connect to the doctor and getting assessed for struggles with physical health, mental health, and chemical dependency. Many people find a barrier in one of these areas. Helping to navigate how to address these barriers allows for success later when looking for housing or employment. Dignity and respect are given to each person who comes to the shelter. That might seem like an expectation that anyone would have. However, this group rarely has a voice and is often dismissed as having no value. The people we serve have helped us adjust and build a better shelter. We navigate different programs needed to find stability and share housing resources and research. Also, we act as advocates so that no one is doing this work alone.
