For any student, the start of their senior year of high school can be somewhat stressful. For Jordan, she found herself homeless in the middle of a pandemic. Fortunately, she had a friend whose family invited her to stay with them. But Jordan faced many adult decisions most students are not prepared to handle on [...]
Sarah fled an abusive home life for the Lewis House with little more than the clothes on her back. She was 19 and pregnant, scared to leave the only home she had ever known, and only two weeks away from delivering. Sarah needed shelter and support. 360 Communities Lewis House advocates welcomed her. In the [...]
Lydia separated from her husband at the beginning of the school year. Her landlord removed her husband from the lease, but rental payments were still linked to his bank account. When her husband stopped making payments, Lydia and her two children were at risk of eviction. So, staff at her two boys’ elementary school referred her [...]
by Jeff Mortensen President & CEO The pandemic has caused increased levels of uncertainty and anxiety across communities. Dakota County experienced a 3,000% increase in unemployment applications, with more than 37,000 people seeking help in just the last 30 days. Although COVID-19 presents an extraordinary crisis in recent history, families who struggle through hardships have [...]
Michele Costello’s daughter, Megan Hallquist, passed away last month at the age of 30 from acute liver failure due to complications from diabetes. Costello remembers Megan as “a feisty, funny, giving person, who never thought of herself before others.” Megan was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when she was an [...]
Las Tortillas Owner Ryan McGunnigle (left) and Chef Roberto Morua at the Rosemount Family Resource Center Grand Opening in February. Ryan McGunnigle is a Dakota County native and a graduate of Rosemount High School and Dakota County Technical College. He is the owner of Las Tortillas Mexican Restaurant and has been supporting the [...]
By Jeff Mortensen President & CEO Already this year, at least 14 Minnesotans have been murdered in domestic violence-related incidents. Victims include two sisters, a mother of three, the elderly, and a family member who intervened to stop his cousin’s assault. The devastating impacts cut across all socioeconomic lines. We need to change in our society. [...]
Lucy's situation In March, Lucy called the 360 Communities Lewis House hotline because of abuse taking place in her home. She arrived at the shelter, afraid about her future. Lucy had several barriers to overcome. She was unemployed, homeless, uninsured, and had significant health issues. In her first few weeks, she suffered from anxiety and [...]
By Jeff Mortensen President & CEO Last school year, 55 Dakota County students graduated high school with support from 360 Communities’ Partners For Success program. When one of those students crossed the stage in June to receive his diploma, few in the audience understood the mountain of obstacles he overcame to reach that milestone. 360 Communities [...]
Leonna Lowe had to swallow her pride to ask for help. But the single mother of three is happy she did, and today is making the most of the emotional and financial support. She had lost her job and the family had been couch hopping. The home they were living in was not [...]
