“It’s incredible there aren’t more places like Cabrini Partnership. Shorter term programs can’t give you the time you need to recover.”
- james
News
April 28, 2010 Building Hope Breakfast Illustrates Needs
Cabrini Partnership hosted their third annual Building Hope Breakfast Tuesday, April 27. Approximately 90 supporters of Cabrini Partnership attended the event at the Town & Country Club in St. Paul.
Speakers included Board Chair Bruce Koehn, Executive Director Mary Morris, volunteers and clients. Attendees also got a first viewing of the new Cabrini Partnership video entitled Creating Home, which chronicles three residents’ stories about coming home to an apartment decorated by students in the Dakota County Technical College interior design program.
“[Cabrini Partnership] believed in me before I believed in myself,” said Diana, a Cabrini Partnership client, in speech at event.
Attendees learned how funding cuts and reduced giving has made even the most essential items difficult to get, and that homelessness has increased by 20 percent over the last three years (according to Wilder Research).
Needs were illustrated at the event with props. A doll house sat on one table to illustrate the need to secure housing. A chair sat on another to represent acquiring furnishings. A stack of text books shows that donations help pay GED test fees. These are a few of the ways Cabrini Partnership puts funds to work for their clients:
$1,000 secures an apartment, acquires furniture and purchases food and cleaning supplies for the first month. $600 pays an apartment deposit. $250 pays for basic furniture from Bridging and moves it into an apartment. $150 pays GED test fees and connects a client with a tutor. $50 buys a grocery gift certificate. $25 buys a bus pass.
A gift in any amount supports our mission and goes toward fulfilling the greatest needs.
Cabrini Partnership thanks Brad Farnham and Scott Novak for videography and production of the Creating Home video. We also appreciate Janice, Merlyne and Michael for sharing their stories.
The mission of Cabrini Partnership is to provide housing and services to support homeless adults with mental illness and chemical dependency to strengthen their lives, families and community. For more information, visit www.CabriniPartnership.org.
April 7, 2010 Wilder Research on Homelessness Discussed on Almanac
Every three years Wilder Research counts the number of homeless individuals in the state of Minnesota in shelters and on the street. Greg Owen of Wilder Research recently appeared on Almanac to discuss the findings of the study.
Greg Owen of Wilder Research said, “People were surprised by the size of the increase. I think people were surprised by the increase of concentration in distress in this population. One of the things we've observed is the increasing number of people with mental illness. We have had a constant rise since the study began in 1991 of people having persistent or serious mental health problems. But that started at 25% and now with the most recent data it is up to 55%.”
According to the Wilder Research Web site, “[On one night] more than 1,000 volunteers conduct interviews throughout the state in shelters, transitional housing programs, drop-in service locations and non-shelter locations such as encampments and abandoned buildings. All of those included in the study are in circumstances that meet the federal definition of homelessness.”
March 31, 2010
Cabrini Partnership Response to Wilder Research Findings Released Today
EXCERPT FROM WILDER PRESS RELEASE:
“After leveling off in the mid-2000s the number of homeless people in Minnesota has dramatically increased according to initial findings from Wilder Research’s triennial statewide homelessness study. The one-day survey conducted in October, 2009 counted 9,452 homeless adults, youth and children in shelters, transitional housing and on the streets. This compares to 7,751 homeless adults, youth and children counted in 2006.”
Response from Cabrini Partnership Executive Director Mary Morris:
“We are saddened by the news from Wilder Research that the number of homeless individuals, families and youth has risen significantly in Minnesota. But we are not surprised. Cabrini Partnership has seen the demand for our services rise over the past year as safety nets—both public and private—have fallen away.
“Each of these numbers represents a face and a story of tragedy and disappointment. We must not become disheartened, however. All of us—individuals, faith-based organizations, those who serve the homeless, along with public agencies and elected officials—need to remain committed to ending homelessness sooner rather than later.”
January 27, 2010 Update on GAMC Month-long Extension of Program Is Welcomed, Still More Work to Do
Today the Minnesota Department of Human Services announced that they will extend General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) through the end of March; GAMC was originally expected to end March 1. Read the Department of Human Services press release. Read more about GAMC and the alliances formed to save it in this MinnPost article by Casey Selix.
Cabrini Partnership Executive Director Mary Morris said, “The action taken today to extend GAMC for one month is a welcome relief to Cabrini Partnership clients who count on this coverage. But we continue to focus on restoring funding for GAMC. We especially want to encourage those who care about this issue to come to the rally at the Capitol on February 4th to bring our message that we cannot turn our backs on the most vulnerable within our communities. Eliminating funding for GAMC may seem like it saves money, but the cost to our hospitals and community clinics and the impact on public safety will be far more expensive.”
Last week Cabrini Partnership sponsored a Save GAMC educational event. A panel of speakers presented on the issue including Anne Quincy, attorney, Legal Assistance; Gail Dorfman, Hennepin County commissioner; Michael B. Belzer, MD, medical director and chief medical officer, HCMC; Michael Holland, assistant public defender, Hennepin County; Father Mike Tegeder, St. Edwards Church; Patrick Ness, public policy manager, Catholic Charities and others. Several legislators and individuals who are on GAMC attended.
At the event, Ann Lenczewski reminded the audience to think of short-term and long-term solutions surrounding GAMC. In ten months, the next governor of Minnesota will be in office and will set the path for GAMC.
Stay tuned for additional news.
January 20, 2010 Join Us to Help Save General Assistance Medical Care
Cabrini Partnership invites you to an important meeting designed to help save General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC). GAMC is critical to meet the health care needs of the "poorest of the poor" in our state. It is a critical issue, not only for those who receive GAMC or members of the state government, but for the entire population of the state of Minnesota.
Learn what you can do to help save GAMC.
Saturday, January 23
Hosted by St. Edwards Church
9401 Nesbitt Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55437
Strategies for action will be presented. Panel presentation will include representative of the Hennepin County Medical Center, public safety, recipients of GAMC, Legal Aid, members of the Minnesota Legislature, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and the religious community.
The event is sponsored by Cabrini Partnership, Coalition to Save GAMC and other community and religious groups.
Event Agenda
9:30-10:00 a.m. Registration
10:00 Welcome—Bruce Koehn
10:05 General Assistance Medical Care: Myths and Realities
10:15 Panel Discussion with:
Anne Quincy, attorney, Legal Assistance
Gail Dorfman, Hennepin County commissioner
Michael B. Belzer, MD, medical director and chief medical officer, HCMC
Michael Holland, assistant public defender, Hennepin County
Father Mike Tegeder, St. Edwards Church
10:40 Q&A with the panelists
10:50 Save GAMC Coalition Principles for Reform—Patrick Ness, public policy manager, Catholic Charities
10:55 Responses from our legislators
11:15 Q & A with legislators
11:25 Take Action!—TakeAction Minnesota
11:40 Closing Remarks—Bruce Koehn
ANNUAL REPORT “CELEBRATING COMMUNITY” NOW AVAILABLE
The 2009 Cabrini Partnership Annual Report Celebrating Community is now available. It includes residents’ stories, an update on General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) and an overview of milestones.
