THE FAMILY PLACE

THE FAMILY PLACE (TFP) HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 3100 ADULTS AND 4900 CHILDREN SINCE OPENING THE DOORS IN 2001. FOR 18 YEARS, TFP HAS DELIVERED RAMSEY COUNTY A SAFE AND APPROPRIATE DAYTIME PLACE FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN - PROVIDING BASIC NEEDS: THREE HEALTHY MEALS AND A SNACK EACH DAY, SHOWER, LAUNDRY, AND STORAGE FACILITIES, CHILDCARE, A COMPUTER ACCESS AREA, A PICK UP AND DROP OFF LOCATION FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, AND A SPECTRUM OF OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO HELP FAMILIES REGAIN STABILITY. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, IT REMAINED THE ONLY DAY SHELTER FOR FAMILIES IN RAMSEY COUNTY. MOST RECENTLY, TFP HAS ADDED BOTH A NIGHT SHELTER PROGRAM AND AN INNOVATIVE EDUCATION PLATFORM (GOING HOME), DESIGNED FOR EVERY MEMBER OF A FAMILY IN TRANSITION. TFP PROVIDES DAY SERVICES FROM 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM ON WEEKDAYS, AND FROM 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM ON THE WEEKENDS, AND OPERATES AT FULL CAPACITY, 365 DAYS A YEAR IN 2018, AN AVERAGE SHELTER STAY WAS 3.7 MONTHS. THE FAMILY PLACE SERVED 225 CLIENTS IN 2018, DOWN FROM 337 SERVED IN 2017 BECAUSE OF THE NEW TREND OF LONGER SHELTER STAYS. THE NEED FOR SHELTER SPACE HAS INCREASED AND THE WAITING LISTS FOR SHELTER ARE GROWING. THE WAIT TIMES ARE INCREASING, CURRENTLY 22.8 DAYS. TFP SERVED MORE THAN 25,000 HEALTHY MEALS AND HEALTHY SNACKS IN 2018. TFP HAS A STAFF OG 13 (5 CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES) AND MORE THAN 600 VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY. 86% OF OUR FAMILIES ARE HEADED BY SINGLE ADULTS, 64% ARE CHILDREN, 100% OF THE CLIENTS ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, 83% ARE FEMALE, 64% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN. IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE THAT ONLY 8% OF MINNESOTA'S POPULATION ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS, AGES 18 OR OLDER, YET THEY ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 40% OF MINNESOTA'S HOMELESS POPULATION. IT IS THE GOAL OF TFP TO CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH FAMILY SHELTERS OPERATE AND TO END REPEATED AND GENERATIONAL HOMELESSNESS.