360 Communities Lewis House: A safe pathway for a survivor and her family For Charlene, the abuse was physical, mental, and emotional. Her ex-husband inflicted beatings that escalated over time and resulted in severe injuries, including a miscarriage. She knew she needed to escape, but that would not be easy. Legal constraints, financial insecurity, [...]
Getting help and giving hope: a 360 Communities story Melinda M is the first person in her family to graduate from college, earning her criminal justice degree with honors. She has worked as a correctional officer at Minnesota’s only women’s prison. Melinda is also a domestic violence survivor. These experiences have armed her with [...]
Mother finds housing and employment with Partners For Success® Kristine recently moved with her six-year-old daughter Natalie to Minnesota from another state to be closer to family. They arrived in Minnesota with only their car and a few possessions. Kristine’s brother and his family lived in the area but could not take them in for [...]
“For your years of steadfast and passionate advocacy for Equity, Racial and Social Justice for All,” reads the Community Hero award presented to 360 Communities on December 19, 2022, “by the Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH) Board of Directors, Staff, Congregations, Friends and People who are at risk or have experienced homelessness.” Receiving [...]
Mother of two faces adversity Ella and her husband split up after her husband abused her. She and her two elementary school children were traumatized. She was alone, afraid, and uncertain of what to do next. Without financial stability, she fell behind on rent and faced eviction. She worried about her children’s emotional well-being with [...]
Dedication to quality child care When Mischelle Ulrich first applied to work at 360 Communities, she recognized that the organization did more than address immediate needs. They had their eye on prevention and investing in future generations. This upstream vision inspired Mischelle to work on supporting quality child care access in her community in various [...]
Family faces homelessness Jasmine is an optimistic person and looks for the positive in every situation. But recently, she faced a crisis that has become all too common in Dakota County: the prospect of homelessness. Jasmine and her nine-year-old daughter moved from one apartment to a larger one in the same complex and became involved [...]
A message from Jeff Mortensen, President & CEO I once heard someone say that humans are the most adaptable creatures on earth…when forced to be! Human history is full of all kinds of crises, periods of growth, and steep recessions. These experiences, and the accumulated lessons learned, help us innovate and transform if we also inspire [...]
a message from President & CEO Jeff Mortensen 360 Communities started as a small group of social-minded individuals who turned belief into action. Their unifying desire to live out values for the good of others was contagious and engaged the broader community in contributing time and resources for over five decades. By building [...]
IN CRISIS, FINDING HELP Susan needed help. Her instincts told her that she and her young children were not safe in their home. “Because my abuser works in law enforcement - he knew how to hurt me without leaving marks,” Susan says, “He threw things at me, threatened to punch me, and left [...]
