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Update from ResourceWest Executive Director Palm; Mornson CITY OF HOPKINS Memorandum To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members From: Mike Mornson, City Manager Date: October 11, 2016 Subject: Update from ResourceWest _____________________________________________________________________ Tarrah Palm, Executive Director from ResourceWest will be at the meeting to provide information about city appointed board members. City Manager What We Do: ResourceWest is a non-profit community agency that serves low-income families and individuals living in the west metro community who are struggling to make ends meet each day. ResourceWest’s mission is: To assist people and strengthen community through collaborative programs and connections to resources. ResourceWest helps people become more connected, more resourceful, and more hopeful about their future. From crisis to action to hope, the services of ResourceWest stabilize families and ultimately help build healthier communities one neighbor at a time. We carry out our mission through four core programs: 1. Resource Connection Program: Staff and volunteers provide resources to families looking for food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, jobs, education and more. This is offered during our walk-in or phone hours. 2. Children and Youth Programs: Families with limited incomes can struggle to provide basic needs and additional expenses without breaking their budget. We help families do both through three programs:  Back-To-School: Provides new school supplies and backpacks for children and youth in grades K-12.  Winter Warm Wear: Provides new or gently used jackets, snow pants, hats, etc for children age 0-18.  Holiday Toy Chest: Provides small and large gifts, books, and games for children age 0-18. 3. Social Services Program: Individuals and families facing a financial and/or family crisis may need more intensive support from our professional social work staff. Our Social Services Program may include one or more of the services listed below:  Case Management Services: Assessment, counseling, advocacy, problem solving, 1-6 month goal plan, follow-up, and referral.  Emergency Financial Assistance: Auto repairs, gas or bus cards, prescriptions, referral for short term housing assistance as part of a case plan.  Housing Subsidy and Case Management: 6-12 month case management services with a housing subsidy provided by a partner agency. 4. Community Collaborative Programs: We partner with other agencies to provide onsite support services throughout the year. These support services include free tax preparation services, dental clinics, senior commodity food packages, counseling services, public assistance applications, and more. Our Impact Each Year:  Over 10,000 connections are made to essential resources in our community.  Over 500 households and 1,000 children are served school supplies, winter warm wear, and holiday gifts.  25 households can maintain work through car repair assistance and/or gas or bus cards.  Nearly 600 households are supported with case management assistance. st 1011 1 Street So., Suite 109 * Hopkins, MN 55343 * telephone (952) 933-3860 * fax (952) 933-3542 www.resourcewest.orgwww.facebook.com/Resourcewest ' ResourceWest connecting people, creating hope �� . children in the Hopkins schoo� district is eligible for free or reduced lunch CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS The number of people in Minnetonka who speak a language other than English at home grew by 28.3%b000 zo�3 z000 r�� CAR-DEPENDENT Almos[aflercands;, �� REQUIRE A CAR r�"�� LANGUAGES SPOKEN by hmities Ilving In the ResourceWest service area WE STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES in th� Wes� metro BY CONNECTING FAMILIES & TNE WOAKING POOR TO RESOURCES THEY N� to address an immediate need &H��NG,�� STABILITY to�r�ard !ong-terrn &SELF-SUFFICIENCY t., BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES Poverty has moved to the suburbs. Here, people must depend on cars in order to get to work, childcare, and other daily living commitments. Affordable housing is scarce. One crisis—a car repair, illness, or legal trouble—can cause people to miss a rent payment or work This crlsls or need can lead to a lostjob, or worse— homelessness The service net�work is dlficult to navigate—especially for our growing population of non-English speakers. Our servlces help In these situatlons by fulfilling an immediate need Gke helping pay for a car repair or providing a child with a warm coat We step in before a downward spiral into poverty can take hold, Our number one goal is to heLp our cLients become stable and stand on their own tvvo feet. Our clients want this too. While a clienYs Immediate crisis Is often the reason they initlalLy contact us, the staff at ResourceWest are also available to address �onger-term needs. We engage in a dialogue with ctients about other issues they may be facing, and help them access the often complex system of resources avaitable to them. Our case workers (some bilinguaU help clients develop a plan with milestones. We meet on a regular basis to check in and adjust. Eighty-percent of our clients receiving in-depth case management report greater empo�r✓erment, improved self-esteem, and a more stable household. :d � WHAT WE DO f " ResourceWest provides v� ' chitdren v✓ith ne�w or gently used winterjackets.snow pants, boots, and new hats and mittens �Lo�w-Income famiCies recelve gifts and stocking stuffers for each chiLd during the hotidays �,,t "'� Each eligible K-1z student in � the ResourceWest servlce area receives a ne�w backpack — filledwlth grade-specific baslc school supplies ResouroeWest's case managers help famlCies _ stablCize thelrsituatlon, and continue to work with them to break the cycle of poverty. , . � Thcse one-tlme emergency grants are most often related to transportafion challenges (e.g. gas cards, bus fare cards, car repairs, etc) and healthcare (e.g. HMO premium payments, prescripCions,etc.). REVENUE & EXPENSES' Budgeted zoi5-zoi6 Revenue: 5323,000 :.aY � ��� .: «oo� e�,��,�u s.s�ao Budgeted zoi5-zoi6 Expenses: $3z3,000 ��Sv64m��9� � ctmdraising. s.a000 � ' Thcse numbe.s tlo not mlterl io-x�nd donolionsa voWn�ee� nows COMMUNITY PARTNERS ResourceWes[ is located wi[hin tne Hennepm Coun[y West Surburban Service Center, which also houses Hennepin Coun[y Human Seroices & Pub�ic Health. The foltowing organizations provide on-site services: ICA Cmploymenf, Children's Mobile DentaC RESOURCE Employment Services: Prepare and Prosper and PORTICO, a MnSURE enrollment program. GIVING IN-KIND We rely on the generous in-kind donations and volunteer hours of the community to provide many of our services, 30,00o pencils < 6,06o pocket folders " 4.50o glue sticks � i,ioojackets.hats.gloves,& scarves 50o pairs of boots + 60o pairs of snowpants = a,�oo chitdren are i� �warm vvinter vvear 4.00o glfts `�� toys = s,o0o kids !�ing specialto open _ olidays 87z individualvolunteers �: %;��t� hours of service (�l�v / y�^� ������ "Ap �V�,�.. f.. hen Aaminah, a single mother of two daughters, came "�'� ,� to ResourceWest, she was unempLoyed and living �with �'>r°°' Multiple Sclerosis. Aaminah had accumulated health expenses and, as a resuLt, poor credit. She also had unresolved legal issues. Aaminah had become ineligible for afrordable housing programs and needed help meeting the basic needs of her family. Aaminah worked with our social worker and also our "wrap around initiative `�which involved check-ins from trained votunteers at an area church. We worked vvith her to deve�op a plan to gain emptoyment through job-seeking skills, applications, intervievv coaching and more. WiYh guldance, Aaminah v✓as able to expunge her legal and credit histories and get on a list for affordable housing Today, Aaminah is employed and her household is more structured and stable. The benefits include positive behaviorat changes in Aaminah's daughters white Aaminah is pursuing additional education as she excels in herjob. The lowered stress in Aaminah's life is help'mg to keep her MuLtlple Sclerosls manageable-Although she is stitLon the wait list for affordable housing. Aaminah is optimistic about her future.