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LifeHaven LifeHaven, a program of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, provides short term transitional housing to homeless mothers ages 16 and 17 and their children. The program can provide services to 6 moms and their children. Services are accessible by self-referral and by referrals from a wide variety of community resources and advocates. LifeHaven provides a friendly, safe place where young moms can move out of survival mode and begin to work on a plan that will lead them toward stability for themselves and their children. Youth Advocates provide case management, advocacy, independent living skills education and parenting skills education. Incarnation partners with LifeHaven under the Families in Transition umbrella. As a partner in this project, Incarnation provides financial, in-kind donation and volunteer support. Volunteering at LifeHaven Before the facility of LifeHaven was open, crews of volunteers from Incarnation worked together to transform a duplex into this transitional shelter and they were supported by crews of volunteers who provided food to the workers and furnished the house. Volunteers continue to be an important part of the program at LifeHaven. There are many different ways to serve at LifeHaven with varying levels of involvement with the young moms, their children and varying time commitments. Direct service opportunities require volunteer training and screening. Ongoing Individual Direct Service Positions These positions require volunteer training and screening.  CHILD CAREProvide child care while youth and moms are in group meetings, independent living skills groups, parenting skills groups and Girls Night In/Out. Volunteers can be scheduled weekly, monthly or on a fill-in basis. When is childcare needed? --Every Sunday 6-8 p.m. and every Saturday 10am–12pm. --Girls Night In/Out happens twice per month, usually on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6-10pm. GIRLS NIGHT OUT DRIVER Provide transportation for the moms to get out and have some fun! Girls Night Out is a time when the moms go out with staff and volunteers for some fun (dinner, movie, etc) without their children. When: Girls Night Out happens once per month, usually on 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6-10pm. COOKIE BAKER Come in and bake cookies with or for our moms (and their kids)! When: Flexible--contact Anna Meyer to arrange a time. ACTIVITY GROUP LEADER Come in and share your talents by leading an activity! Are you good at arts and crafts or do you love to play board games? When: Flexible--contact Anna Meyer to arrange a time. Individual Indirect Service Positions MAKE A MEAL Provide a Sunday evening meal for the moms at LifeHaven. Sign up for a Sunday date on the Information Desk in the Atrium at Incarnation. Prepare enough food for 6 to 8 adults and deliver the meal to LifeHaven. When: by 5 p.m. on your scheduled Sunday. DONATION DRIVE COORDINATOR Coordinate a donation drive within your community (work, school, small group at church, etc.) collecting much needed items for the moms and children at LifeHaven. Donation lists are available. SPONSOR A YOUTH Help brighten the holidays for homeless youth by sponsoring them for the holidays. Sponsors shop for and donate gifts based on youth's holiday wish lists. You can also sponsor a youth by pick up gift tags off the LifeHaven Holiday Giving House at Incarnation or by contacting Anna Meyer  to sponsor youth as an individual or group. SMALL GROUP PROJECTS Occasionally we have a need for a small gorup to complete a project at or for LifeHaven. Most projects involve cleaning, painting, and building/grounds maintenance. On-Call Individual Direct Service Positions These positions require volunteer training and screening. ON-CALL INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS GUEST PRESENTER Come in and share your skills and expertise with our youth! Do you know about financial management, employment skills/services, health/nutrition, education/college admission, voting/civic engagement, tenant rights and responsibilities, chemical health/substance abuse, domestic violence or STD/HIV prevention, etc.? Be on-call to come in and present during one of our independent living skills groups. ON-CALL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Donate your services to our youth! We need professionals who can donate their services on or off-site. We are looking for dentists, lawyers, tax preparers, nutritionists, hairstylists, etc. ON-CALL MAINTENANCE CREW Help us keep LifeHaven Maintained. Be on-call to come in and do repairs as needed. Must have an email address. ON-CALL MOVING CREW In many cases our programs deal with large donations and moving youth into apartments. Our programs do not own any vehicles to aid us in this. We are looking for a pool of individuals who have trucks, SUVs or mini-vans who would be willing to help move donations and youth’s belongings. To further explore what opportunities might be right for you, contact: Anna Meyer Volunteer Coordinator for LSS Homeless Youth Program 651.470.8801 or anna.meyer@lssmn.org Mary Schlichting LifeHaven Coordinator for Incarnation Lutheran Church 651.484.7213 LifeHaven is located near 35E and Maryland Avenue in St. Paul. For directions, contact the Incarnation office at 651.484.7213 Lutheran Social Service (LSS) Philosophy for Working with Homeless Youth in the Metro Area The homeless youth programs operate under the philosophy that intervention with homeless youth are more effective when using a developmental perspective rather than a pathological perspective. LSS believes that in order for changes to occur, youth must learn not only how to follow instructions but also how to think and act in their own best interest. LSS believes that we work with youth rather than do things for or to youth. LSS works with youth using a strengths-based perspective. Case management is client-driven; LSS develops mentor-like relations with the youth. LSS uses a harm reduction approach, providing youth with healthy alternatives and choices, in a non-judgmental way, while allowing them to make their own decisions. Additional Lutheran Social Service Metro Homeless Youth Programs SafeHouse The Safe House is a 30 day emergency shelter program for young people ages 16 to 20. Case management services and basic needs are provided. Street Outreach The street program employs outreach workers who go out onto the streets, malls, and community centers and make contact with youth who are at risk and/or without permanent shelter. Through relationship building they are able to offer youth alternatives to life on the streets. Rezek House Facility-based transitional Housing Program for homeless youth ages 16-21. On-site case management services, advocacy, and life skills training are provided. The building contains 13 apartments. One is used for the resident advisor and 12 are for youth. Transitional Living Project (TLP) Scattered site transitional housing program for young people ages 16-21. Youth receive case management and independent living skills training. Financial assistance is available for 6 months; the youth will gradually take over the monthly rental payments. For more information about Incarnation's partnership with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and LifeHaven, contact Pastor Luther Dale. Check out Incarnation's other mission partners: Mkwawa Lutheran Church: Iringa, Tanzania Chontala: Guatemala New City Parish: Los Angeles, California Families Moving Forward: Minneapolis, MN |
