Greetings Heading Home Minnesota Business Supporter,

People like you asked Heading Home Minnesota to keep them informed of ways to continue to be involved in ending homelessness. So we’re living up to that request with these brief monthly e-notes designed just for businesses like yours.

In the Community – Learn how the Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce sponsored a homelessness simulation to help area youth better understand homelessness...

Volunteer Opportunity – The East Metro Project Homeless Connect still needs volunteers for the event on June 29, 2009...

Contributions – Wilder Research is accepting contributions as they prepare to conduct a statewide survey in October, 2009 of people experiencing homelessness...

Sponsorship Opportunity – Heading Home Minnesota is partnering with the Minnesota Twins on August 29, and is seeking a sponsor for game-day...

In the Community
Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce Sponsors Homelessness Simulation for Youth Leadership Program
It isn’t easy trying to describe to someone what homelessness is – what it looks like, feels like, and why it exists. When the Fargo Moorhead Chamber of Commerce decided to try and help members of their Youth Leadership Program better understand the complexity of homelessness, they did so in the most obvious manner they could envision. Read more...

Volunteer Opportunities
Project Homeless Connect, based on a national model, is a one-stop shop of services for people experiencing homelessness. An innovation in service delivery, it is spreading to more and more Minnesota communities. The next Project Homeless Connect is in St. Paul/Ramsey County on Monday, June 29, 2009. To volunteer, contact Mark Erpelding at 612-379-4900, ext. 14, or e-mail mark@handsontwincities.org. For event details, visit www.eastmetrophc.com

Contributions
Every three years since 1991, Wilder Research has conducted a statewide survey of people who are homeless or living in temporary housing programs. Minnesota is the only state to have such comprehensive and historical information about the homeless population. The survey will be conducted in October, 2009. Survey results are used extensively to improve policy and practices.

Three years ago, more than 950 volunteer interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews with over 3,700 people experiencing homelessness. Interviews took place throughout Minnesota in about 250 emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and battered women’s shelters, and among homeless people not in shelters in more than 80 cities, towns, and surrounding areas.

The survey costs approximately $500,000. Heading Home Minnesota seeks to raise $25,000 from small contributions from multiple contributors. If you or your company is interested in contributing, you can donate now on the HHM website and designate "Wilder Survey" or you can write a check to the Wilder Foundation and specify "Homeless Survey."

Sponsorship Opportunities
Heading Home Day at the Metrodome - Heading Home Minnesota is partnering with the Minnesota Twins to raise awareness surrounding homelessness, and will be at the Metrodome on Saturday, August 29 as they take on the Texas Rangers. We are planning a presentation down on the field before the game begins, as well as a display in the concourse during the game. To help offset the costs involved, we are seeking a sponsor for materials needed, including the design and production of t-shirts. If you are interested in sponsoring Heading Home Day at the Metrodome, please contact Megan Harms at (612) 335-3586 or meganharms@headinghomeminnesota.org.