When 360 Communities Housing Support Worker Marissa first met Meredith in 2015, she had just moved into Dakota Woodlands homeless shelter with her two sons. Meredith was able to find housing and obtain a 24-month housing subsidy through Dakota County, moving herself and her sons into a townhome in Lakeville. Having her rent subsidized for this [...]
by Anika Rychner Director of Self-Sufficiency Think of the last thing you ate. Are you still full? Or is your stomach rumbling? Are you worried about where your next meal will come from? Or will it be easy and stress-free for you to find a nutritious meal? Unfortunately for many Minnesotans, especially children, having enough food [...]
by Anika Rychner Director of Self-Sufficiency A four-year-old girl jumped into the arms of 360 Communities’ Sophia Bond and squeezed her tight after she gave her a new winter coat. When the little girl arrived at Armful of Love with her mother in the minus 10-degree weather to pick up their gifts, Sophia quickly noticed that [...]
Victim Support Dog Ranger’s first time supporting a domestic violence survivor was at a pretrial hearing. 360 Communities had been working with Veronica for years. It was an ongoing situation and it was intensely stressful and emotional for the client. When she would recount the violence, she would often be overtaken with emotion and start to [...]
An exciting 360 Communities initiative involves a creative way to provide survivors of abuse additional support. We are working with an organization called Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs) that trains service dogs to respond to traumatic events, like mass shootings or disasters. 360 Communities has hired Victim Support Dog Ranger, pictured with Outreach Advocate Stacie Burke. Studies have shown [...]
by Jeff Mortensen President & CEO Do you have eyes that see the courage and struggle in the people around you? We each hold a unique perspective and are more likely to see those things that “fit” our own world view. With life’s many distractions and our personal mindsets, it takes being open with intentionality to [...]
October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but vigilance, conversation, education, and advocacy about the issues of domestic and sexual violence is needed year-round. According to the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, at least 13 Minnesotans have died as a result of domestic violence in 2016. One out of four college women experience sexual assault on campus. Recently, [...]
By Sal Mondelli CEO Emeritus After a very rewarding four plus years as CEO, I have handed the reins over to Jeff Mortensen effective October 1, the start of the new fiscal year, as part of an orderly transition plan which was set in motion over 18 months ago. If five years ago you would have [...]
By Lisa Lusk Director of School Success Academic success is not a guarantee for any student. Even children who have all the tools and support in the world to reach their potential may have significant hurdles to overcome requiring hard work in order to succeed. Imagine what it must be like for a student who comes [...]
by Sal Mondelli Chief Executive Officer Asking for assistance is not easy for anyone. When people come to 360 Communities for help, they have usually run out of options. Maybe they are unemployed; perhaps their jobs don’t pay enough to cover unanticipated expenses. They could have a medical crisis, a disability, or their retirement savings could [...]
